Scars of Our Past
by J Wolf Silver
Summary: Sunset Shimmer never really had a childhood or someone to teach her what she needs to know. So, after the fall formal, Sunset is faced with changed she is not yet ready for; friendship and a family who are willing to show her just what she's been missing. Will she accept accept this new found solace or will her fears and insecurities get the better of her? Dose she have a choice?
1. A Second Chance

**Author's Note**

 **Wow, it's been a while since I've done one of these! So Hey! I'm J Wolf Silver and welcome to Scars of Our Past (Scars for short). I know I'm usually writing RWBY but I really wanted to write this one! Yes, I like MLP. Sunset happens to be my favorite character. Don't worry though, I will return with RWBY soon! Anyway, read and I have more to say after you're done!**

* * *

She wasn't sure what was or had happened. One moment, she had everything she wanted, the next, it was too much. It consumed her very being, taking over, trapping her in her own darkness. It _burned_. She didn't want it, not like this. What got her to this point she didn't know.

Much to her relief, the Princess and her friends shut her down, dispelling all the power and dark magic she had obtained. She was grateful but now all that was left was a shell of a girl who once had everything…almost everything. She knew that.

In that moment, as the Princess helped her to her feet, she realized that all of that power was never what she truly needed. Now, she had to figure out what she did need.

As if natural to her, Sunset apologized for the first time in over six years and she truly meant it. The looks anger and disgust the students gave her however, told her that there was no forgiveness to be had.

Frowning, she looked around to see the damage she had caused. There was no way Principal Celestia would allow her to remain at CHS after this. To be honest, she wouldn't be surprised if Celestia called the police or sent her back through the portal for Princess Twilight and Celestia to deal with. She had dug her grave and now she has to lie in it.

Once the Princess and the other students had returned to the gym, Vice-principal Luna Tasked her, snips and snails to clean up the mess and start to re-build the front of the school with the brick that sat in the storage shed for the construction class. It did match, though.

Her back stung but Sunset payed no attention to it, only focusing on the task at hand, she would handle the pain later.

After a while of laying mortar and placing bricks, Principal Celestia came out and relieved Snips and Snails from cleaning, giving them a week of in school suspension and a promised phone call to their parents. Sunset knew that the Principal would giving an altered version of the story. No one would believe what had really happened.

For another half hour, Sunset worked in silence, wincing every timed she shifted her back. She didn't notice but Celestia watched her the entire time, studying her almost. Both of them shifted their attention as Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow, Rarity and Pinkie all gathered around the portal to bid Princess Twilight and Spike farewell. Neither of them could hear what was being said but a few glances to Sunset made the girl cower behind the wall.

 _I really screwed up._ She thought to herself. _They all must hate me._

Sunset couldn't bring herself to look at them any longer and soon enough, Twilight passed through the portal just as it closed. The younger girl frowned, she was stuck for another thirty moons. However, she had never planned on going back to deal with Princess Celestia.

Celestia however, watched the girls and when they glanced over to sunset, there was no malice in their expressions. Just thoughtful looks, most likely towards what to do with said girl. Once they all dispersed for home, Celestia walked over to the fiery haired girl.

"Sunset," the woman said in a serious tone, "Can I see you in my office please?"

Sunset nodded and got up carefully before following the Principal to her office. Principal Celestia waited for Sunset to pass into the room before she shut the door and sat at her desk.

"Please sit." Celestia said.

The younger girl accepted graciously though she kept her gaze on her feet.

"So," Celestia started, "You've destroyed the front of the school and left a crater in the middle of our courtyard. By all accounts I should expel you or call the police."

Sunset knew this was coming and at the moment, she felt too emotionally numb to care. She just nodded.

"However," Celestia continued, making Sunset shoot her head up to look quizzically at the Principal, "After talking with Twilight and Vice-principal Luna, I'm not sure that that would be the best option."

The girl just stared on, dumbfounded at what she'd just heard. Was Celestia really just going to let her stay? After everything she'd done, she would be allowed to stay at CHS?

"Why?" Sunset managed.

"Twilight explained to me that you are not from here." She explained, "And she had a hunch that you didn't mean for things to go as far as they did. In fact, she believes that it is partly her fault."

"Her fault?" repeated Sunset.

"Yes." Principal Celestia affirmed, "Apparently, it had looked as though the situation could have been resolved without the mess."

Sunset thought for a moment. It was true that she had had second thoughts about her plan in the weeks before stealing the crown, even more in the last couple days. Was it really what she wanted? True that this world was foreign to her at one point, but she had long since gotten used to the odd way humans do things but had never intended on staying here, or so she told herself. Still, she found that she had the necessary papers made for her to stay in this world though she told herself that it was just incase she needed a backup plan.

"I'm sorry." Was all she said, looking back down to her feet.

Celestia sighed, "Tell me, Sunset, what exactly were you thinking? What was your plan? I need the truth or I will have to call the authorities."

Seeing as she had no other option, Sunset took a deep breath, "I wanted something I couldn't have. So, I stole Twilight's crown to get it. I wanted power but that could only happen if I wore the crown here first. That last part was… unexpected."

Celestia listened carefully to every word she said, looking for any sign of intent but found none, "Then how did you end up in such a position."

Sunset shook her head, "I don't know but I wasn't exactly in control if that's what you mean. It was like a nightmare. Looking out but not being able to stop you were doing. My plan was to absorb the power from the crown then go back and take over Equestria. That's not much better than what I did though."

"What did Twilight mean when she told me the situation could have been avoided?" Celestia asked.

"I was actually ready to cut my losses." She admitted, "But then Rainbow Dash said something and set off a fuse in my head. I got angry and ended up fighting Twilight and her friends for the crown."

Celestia thought about this and watched as the girl in front of her frowned in regret but her jaw was tight. She was angry. Not at anyone else though, she seemed to be angry with herself. Honesty was a side of Sunset that the educator had never seen before but she found it suited her. The girl seemed to be showing genuine emotion.

"I'm so stupid." The young girl mumbled through clenched teeth and balled fist.

 _Why did I even do it?_ Sunset questioned herself. _I could have given up, no harm done. Twilight could have just taken the crown and I could have just tried to live here. Not much of a life though._ Tears started to sting her eyes, _Celestia as right, I wasn't ready, I'm a selfish, egotistical girl with anger management problems who never listened to her teacher. The ONE pony who actually cared! Now what do I have?_ Sunset wrapped her arms around her stomach and let out quiet sobs, _I'm alone. She WARNED me and I was too stubborn to listen. Why now? Why is this JUST sinking in now._

Celestia watched the internal struggle the girl was having. She wanted to go around and hug Sunset to calm her down but this wasn't the time. She needed to battle this out. Something was different about the teen now. She could see it, the look in her eyes changed, even when angry, it was softer.

Once Sunset calmed down, Celestia spoke again, "Sunset, you know I cannot let this go unpunished but, I have a feeling it's going to be hard around school for a while. So, in light of that, you are going to attend suspension with Snips and Snail before returning to regular classes."

Her tone was as stone cold as it had been when the conversation started but Sunset didn't care.

"Yes, Principal Celestia." Sunset said then her gaze softened, "I don't understand why you're doing this. I didn't do anything to deserve it."

Celestia let herself relax, "Sunset Shimmer," her soothing tone reminded her of the Alicorn Princess, "I believe that you have the ability to change but it's entirely up to you. You can either embrace this second chance, or, you can repeat your past transgressions. Everyone deserves a second chance."

"Thank you." Sunset smiled, teary eyed.

"Now," Celestia stood, "It's getting late, you should probably get home."

Sunset nodded and left the office mumbling to herself, "a second chance."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Ha! I'm back! I will have the next chapter up after midnight but first things first. Posting schedule, Mondays 10PM Mountain time. Also I have a couple people to thank. First off, friend, I'm just going to call him...Jamie. Yeah he hates that name but whatever and another friend over on Wattpad, BChunter426 for Beta reading and especially BC for spelling and grammar editing for me. He's a really good friend and if you like the Sci-Twi and Sunset ship, he's got a really good one. He and I bounce ideas off each other a lot.**

 **Anyway, see ya on the flip-side!**


	2. Done With Me

Saturday was a busy day for Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna. Celestia had discussed with the school board the nature of the damages to the school. Luna had helped come up with the idea of a gas main explosion which seemed to please the board., claiming that the school was old and it needed to be checked anyway, the explosion had in fact, saved time.

They had spent the rest of the day talking to the police and overseeing the crews tarp up the front of the school with promise of filling the hole at some point during the week. Both sisters were happy to flop down on the couch, tea in hand.

"So," Luna spoke after a while, "You're sure Miss Shimmer was telling the truth?"

"For the fifth time today, yes." Celestia said, "I just hope she can clean up her act."

Luna shrugged, taking a sip of her tea, "We did."

"Yes," Celestia said with a frown, "But we had mom and dad to help us. As far as I can tell, Sunset has no one here."

"Well she is an illegal immigrant." Luna pointed out.

"Very funny." Celestia smirked but it darkened after a moment. "I'm just afraid for her safety."

"I am too." Luna said, "But if we interfere, I believe it will make the transition harder."

Celestia nodded knowingly. Her and Luna had their fair share of rebelliousness, more so Luna but they each got into more trouble than they cared to admit. When they first caught Sunset picking on another student, they had kept an eye on her. As it progressed, they noticed patterns they both had seen in themselves. Sure enough, she had her ultimate defeat.

Sunset spent her weekend working a four-hour shift at the Sushi Bar on Saturday but the majority of it was spent laying on her cot in a silent reflection. Well, kind of silent. Every so often Sunset would yell loudly and punch the wall of the abandoned building, despite her back still being sore.

When she got back on Friday, she had looked at her back in the mirror and saw two thick scars on her shoulder blades where her wings had been in her demonic form, left for her as a reminder she would never be rid of. It didn't bother her though, there were more important thoughts on her mind.

She looked around her room. Since being in this world, Sunset had taken residence in an abandoned apartment building. It was old, dusty but still sturdy. She tried to keep it clean enough so she didn't get sick or suffocate but other than that, it wasn't much. The entire one room apartment was roughly a classroom and a half. She had found that there was a water bastion on the roof that collected rain water and though it was cold, it worked for running water and basic hygiene. She had a small camp cot in the corner, a gas-powered camping stove and a small desk by the small window. Sunset kept her clothes in a large suitcase which she cleaned at the laundromat down the street. The best part was the extension cord she had strung down the alley where she leached power off a pizzeria for her lamp and laptop.

Since Friday, Sunset hadn't felt the same. She found herself calmer, relaxed and most of all, guilty. It wasn't a new feeling but over the years she had learned to ignore it. Now, it had bubbled to the surface as she remembered every single bad deed, screw up and the tears she'd caused. It made her sick.

 _How could I have been that terrible!_ She scolded herself, _What made me think ANYONE deserved that._

She rolled out of bed and started to get ready for school, not bothering to wait for her alarm. Sleep hadn't come easily to her either. Something had changed in her, she knew that much, but it was too drastic to really be her own will. Or was it? She HAD been a lot easier going these last few months. Not picking on people as much. Or at all really. She left everyone alone until she stole the crown.

Sunset found it hard to admit to herself that she actually LIKED it here. Thumbs were a plus and here, she felt at home. Not so much in the dump of a house though. She wanted to stay but she wasn't accepted by her peers, never was.

Lying and cheating got her to where she was but she was given a second chance. Just that thought made her smile and she latched on to it. Not that she would admit it out loud, she wanted change and she was going to work hard to do so.

With that thought in mind, she left the building, padlocking the door behind her.

At Canterlot High, suspensions were different. Depending on the offence, one would either get an in school or out of school suspension. Most parents had agreed that some kids just don't get a severe enough punishment at home. Not going to school wasn't much of a punishment, especially for kids with carefree parents or, in Sunset's case no authoritative figure at all.

So, suspension was spent in an isolated room with her, Snips and Sails, Vice-Principal Luna checking in on them. The entirety of the suspension was quiet, something Sunset appreciated. She had a lot to think about and the silence soothed her mind as she dove into her work. The entire week however, Snips and Snails had greeted her like they usually did each morning, with admiration and a twinge of fear. It made her uncomfortable.

By all means, they should hate her but it seemed that they were still loyal to her. Usually Sunset would be ecstatic, willing to return to power but the idea in itself just didn't appeal to her. That's what brought her to her current situation.

On the last day of their suspension, Sunset had spent the majority of the morning trying and failing to do the school work she was given

 _There has to be some way to get them to distance themselves._ She thought. Sunset knew she was a bad influence on the two, she never denied that. They had just been so useful she didn't care. Now, she needed to get them to go and do their own thing and she needed to do hers.

She thought about it and she just needed to talk to them.

Despite being suspended, Luna did let them break for a fifteen-minute lunch. The boys followed Sunset to the cafeteria, as usual, a little while after the standard lunch period ended. Sunset was grateful for this, the time she spent around other students were, for lack of a better word, horrible.

Almost the entire school seemed to despise her. Monday, everyone was treading carefully but it didn't take long for them to realize something was different. This was only verified when 'The Great and Powerful Trixie' shoved her into her own locker. Unsurprisingly it didn't feel all that great. Since then, it seemed the entire student body was getting revenge on her from her reign of terror. It was horrible and she _let_ them.

Luna waited with them to get their lunch and the older woman could see how the girl kept glancing at the other two then at her with pleading eyes. At first, this confused the blue haired educator but upon closer examination, she realized that Sunset was trying to get a message across to the boys but didn't want to do it while they had an audience.

Vice- Principal Luna cleared her throat in front of the cafeteria doors, "I have to use the restroom. I trust you will get your lunches and wait for me inside." With that she turned on her heel and strode back down the hallway.

Sunset felt herself relax a little and after they had gotten their lunch, Sunset lead them to a table near the door and sat to wait for Vice-principal Luna.

She wasn't sure where to start so she said the first thing that came to mind, "Why don't you guys hate me?"

The boys looked at her with incredulous looks.

"I got you suspended." Sunset explained, "I treated you like dirt, got you to treat other people like dirt and didn't let you close to anyone! I treated you like slaves."

They looked at each other than back at their leader, "Because you're our friend." Snips said.

"Yeah," Snails added, "We liked feeling powerful."

Sunset stared at them wide eyed, _was this what they really thought friendship was? They were friends with each other but not with me, right?_ Sunset buried her head in her hands. _What have I done to them?_

"That's not what being friends is." Sunset spoke, unsure of her words.

"It's not?" Snips questioned, "If this isn't it, what is?

That made Sunset stop and think. What _was_ being friends like? Now that she thought about it, she came to the shocking realization that she didn't _know_. She'd been in this world for six years and never once had a person to call a friend. The last friend she had was Princess Celestia and she pretty much wrote her off when she first stepped through the portal.

Sunset decided to be honest with them, "I don't know, but I know it's not this. You two are friends, you play video games together and took turns deciding what to do. I never gave you a choice and for that…" Sunset paused, unsure of her next words, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I never treated you the way you should be treated. No one in this school deserved it. I'm bitter and angry and I refuse to let myself take advantage of anyone anymore."

The boys looked at her with shocked expressions but the older girl couldn't meet their eyes, keeping her head down, staring at her now clasped hands on the table.

Snips finally broke the silence, "What happened to you? Last week you would have already started to tear down those girls."

"And you wouldn't have stood for it when Trixie shoved you into your locker." Snails said, "Or apologize for anything."

"I know." Sunset said, "I don't know what happened to me last week, but I'm done being angry. I'm done being the one ruining friendship." She looked up at them with a stern, but kind expression, "And I'm done dragging you guys down with me. You two deserve better and I deserve everything I have coming."

"What do you mean." Snails asked.

"As of right now, you are done with me and I'm going to stay away from you." She said, "I rather you join the majority in hating me than face the repercussions of my mistakes. As my last order for you guys, don't argue and stay away."

Just then, Luna walked in, little did the three know, she had listened to her entire conversation, genuinely surprised at what the girl had done. Now, Luna had no doubt in her mind that Sunset was being honest with her sister and looking at her now, she could see something had definitely changed and probably for the better.

Luna, after they had finished eating, escorted Snips and Snails to their class, ending their suspension early. When she had released the boys, she could have sworn she saw a genuine smile on the girl's face.

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 **Author's Note**

 **Haha! See? Chapter 2, as promised. I also have to thank my friend mary because a couple days ago my laptop kicked the bucket so my friend mary gave me hers until it gets fixed. She's awesome!**

 **Later!**


	3. Claustrophobia

Monday morning came at last, much to Sunset's displeasure. It was her first day back into the regular school day since her suspension ended. She took as breath as she stepped off the bus in front of the school. She couldn't help but wonder if she had made anyone this terrified to enter the school.

She walked across the street and could already feel the hateful gazes upon her and the odd insult shouted or whispered. When they first started, she had handled them well but the more hate she endured, the more it seemed to sting. Almost everyone in the school was in on this and Sunset let them get all their anger out. They had every right.

One thing did puzzle her though, other than Snips and Snails, there were five people who never gave her any trouble; Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack. All they did was watch her and study her every move when they could see her. To be fair though, they did have to hit her with a rainbow laser. They were probably just being careful.

Not a moment after opening her locker, she was shoved inside it. When the door closed she could see Trixie standing there with a triumphant grin on her face through the grates.

"Hope you like it in there." Trixie said as she stepped forward.

 _Click!_

Sunset's eyes widened. She had locked her in. Even Sunset thought this over the top. Never had she _ever_ locked someone _in_ a locker. It was dangerous, especially if that person was claustrophobic. The one thing Sunset refused to do, was to do anything that would cause physical harm to the receiving party. Now, she was trapped and feeling the tendrils of claustrophobia closing in.

Trixie laughed as Sunset banged against the door while trying not to hyperventilate but it wasn't working. She was starting to have a hard time breathing as the bell rang for class and the hallway cleared. She knew very well that most teenagers wouldn't even remember she was in there come next period. She panicked more.

After a futile effort of trying to open the door, she became frantic and desperate, trying to beat the door open with her head, having lost all self control. Sunset started to tremble as her breathing quickened and her heart beat hard in her chest to the point it felt like it would break out. She was forced to stop beating her locker as she was now gasping for breath, now having a full-blown panic attack. Sunset's mind was blank as she fought for breath.

"Et-…lock…ombo?" A voice tried to reach her but she was having a hard time getting it to register.

The muffled sounds of more voices sounded outside the locker but Sunset couldn't make them out.

"Breath." A voice came, one she recognized but couldn't place or describe at the moment but somehow, it reached her and she tried to slow her breathing, "We need your combination to get ya out." It said again, "Just breath."

She tried to say something but she couldn't work her jaw and the world started spinning, she just slammed her head on the door once to try to say that she heard them.

"Knock it." The voice suggested, "Try knocking the combination."

Sunset slammed her knee against the locker twice.

"Two." The voice confirmed, she knocked again this one taking more time, "twenty-five." One last knock, "seven."

With that Sunset heard a click and the door was yanked open. Sunset was a little calmer but her legs were like jelly and she fell forward but two hands gripped her tightly and lead her so she was sitting on the ground against the lockers. Her shoulders shook as she brought her knees up to bury her head.

A hand lay its self on her shoulder and another rubbed her back, telling her to breath, walking her through some breathing exercises, "It's ok. You're ok." This voice though, was different, much softer than the other one but as she started to calm down, she realized she still didn't know who her saviors were.

Looking up from her knees, she almost started to panic again as she saw just who had come to her rescue. Fluttershy was the one rubbing her back while Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood not too far away in their gym clothes, concerned looks on all of their faces. Fluttershy still held a sweet and comforting smile.

Sunset honestly didn't know what to do so she just sat there staring wide eyed at the girls in front of her. She had honestly thought Trixie would have saved her before they did.

"Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked with genuine concern.

"That was a cruel move Trixie made." Rainbow Dash spoke, "Not even you would lock the door."

Applejack elbowed her in the ribs, "Fluttershy saw what happened, Pinkie went to get Principal Celestia and the school nurse."

They had all finally realized that Sunset hadn't said anything, only stared. Rainbow waved a hand in front of her face, causing the girl to look up at her. When she did, Rainbow's eyes went wide, turning to look at Applejack. Fluttershy carefully moved Sunset's hair to the side and gasped, looking back at her friends. Sliding down the side of her nose was a streak of red oozing from a gash in the middle of her fire head.

"Are you feeling alright sugar cube?" Applejack asked.

Sunset didn't answer, she was having a hard time concentrating on what was going on, eyes wandering and ears ringing. Her only solid thoughts were; _Why are they helping me? Why are they treating me so nicely?_

Sunset heard various feet coming down the hallway but she just stared forward. Fluttershy moved aside as another person knelt in front of her, moving her hair. She winced as the other person's fingers played with a painful spot on her forehead.

"Sunset," a woman's voice said, "Can you hear me?"

Sunset nodded slightly.

"Does you head hurt?" She asked.

Another nod, though Sunset felt it was kind of a rhetorical question.

"Look at me," Nurse Tender Heart ordered and Sunset does as she's told, "Try to follow my finger."

The school nurse, Nurse Tender Heart, slowly moved her finger in front of Sunset. She was definitely trying but her eyes ended up all over the place. Tender Heart looked up at Principal Celestia who turned to the other four girls.

"Tell me what happened." The principal ordered.

Rainbow Dash was the one to answer, "Fluttershy saw Trixie lock Sunset in her locker so she came and got me and Applejack. Applejack managed to get her to give us her combination."

"She was having a panic attack." Fluttershy cut in, "I think she got desperate and started hitting her head against the locker."

"-erved it." Sunset mumbled, speaking for the first time since getting out of the locker.

"What?" Rainbow questioned.

Sunset took a shaky breath, "I had it coming, I deserved it."

Nurse Tender Heart looked at Celestia with a concerned expression on her face. Before she could say anything, Rainbow spoke up.

"She _locked_ you in there!" Rainbow Protested, "Not even you did that! You could have seriously hurt yourself!"

"I'm fine." Sunset said adamantly.

She tried to get up but as soon as she did, she started to feel dizzy and fell back down, grunting as her butt hit the tile. Ultimately, she felt like throwing up

The nurse took another look at her head, moving the younger girl's hair to reveal a moderately sized gash in the middle of her forehead, likely made by Sunset repeatedly slamming her head on the inside of the locker.

"How are you feeling, Sunset?" Tender asked in effort to keep the girl from passing out.

It took a moment for her to gather her thoughts to respond, "Tired and nauseous." Her gaze met the other four other teens in the hallway, "Why do you guys even care?"

The girls looked at each other but the nurse spoke before they had a chance, "I think she gave herself a concussion." She said to Celestia.

Celestia bit her lip. Usually in this situation, she would call a parent or guardian to come get her and take her to the hospital but this wasn't just any situation. She checked her watch and frowned, there was no way she had time to take the girl to the hospital unless she left her there alone. That was not an option.

"Take Sunset to the infirmary and keep an eye on her." Celestia said then looked towards the other girls, "Applejack and Rainbow will assist you, everyone else, go to class. I will deal with Trixie."

Sunset's head shot up, "No!" The volume of her own voice sent a wave of pain though her temples and she gripped her head before continuing in a lower volume, "It will just make things worse. Leave it alone."

"I can't just let this stand, Sunset. If Fluttershy hadn't gotten her friends, you would probably have done more damage to yourself." Celestia said.

"Please," She pleaded, "Leave it alone, just this once."

Celestia thought for a moment. Sunset had done a lot of things to the student body and most of them seemed to be geared towards revenge. Sunset wasn't violent, Celestia knew that but if the girl wasn't willing to punish another student's actions, there really wasn't anything she could do.

The Principal sighed, "If you are not willing to press the issue, there is nothing I can do. However, if anything like this happens again, I will have to act."

Sunset made an audible grunt as Applejack and Rainbow Dash lifted her up, "Fine."

After that, the group dispersed and they made their way to the infirmary, Sunset having no choice but to use the girls as support.

"I can walk on my own." Sunset said stubbornly, "You don't have to do this."

Applejack raised a brow, "I'm sorry but we just watched you almost pass out."

"Besides," Rainbow said, "Twilight asked us to look out for you, and that's what we are going to do."

Sunset forced them to a stop, "Why?"

"Cause' we promised." Applejack said simply.

"Twilight is in Equestria for another thirty moons," Sunset grumbled, "And you don't owe me anything."

The two girls pulled Sunset along as they continued, "It's not like we haven't thought about that." Applejack admitted, "We actually just discussed it this morning and, from what we've seen last week, this is goin' to be harder on ya than it was for anyone else. You're just one-person, Sunset and there was only so much you could do. Now the entire student body is against ya."

"We are only giving you one chance." Rainbow continued, "Twilight seemed to think you could change and that's good enough for now."

Sunset was shocked but she was too tired to take it all in. They were silent for the rest of the trip. Once they let Sunset down on one of the beds in the infirmary, Nurse Tender Heart went about cleaning up Sunset's head as they headed to class.

"You did a number on yourself." She told the girl.

Sunset averted her eyes. She was afraid to admit she had a panic attack and that she would have done anything to get out of the locker, that also meant using her head as a battering ram. Not one of her brightest ideas.

"I'm sure you're tired and want to go to sleep." The nurse said softly, "But you need to try to stay awake for an hour at least. Just to be safe."

Sunset nodded as the nurse went over to her desk and started to write something on her computer. She huddled on the bed, head in her knees feeling like she was hit with a train and starting to develop a painful migraine.

Sunset knew how concussions worked and why she had to stay awake but it was better said than done. It was hard to keep her eyes open, so she took out her earbuds and phone, playing music quietly to give her something to focus on. She had a feel this would be a painfully long day.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey! It's Monday and honestly, I'm surprised I actually remembered to post. I've never really been one to stick to a schedule but I am going to change that! Oh, and by the way, if for whatever reason I can't post on Monday, I will post on either Sunday or Tuesday. Yeah, an as always, constructive criticism it appreciated!**

 **Later!**


	4. Stay

**Author's Note**

 **Hey Everyone! Thanks for reading Scars! So, I had a little mix up over on fimfiction where I forgot to post the first chapter so I am posting 2 chapters today as an apology so all my sites get 2 chapters! So enjoy! It's 12:20 AM so it's officially Monday! I give you; Chapter 4!**

 **Later!**

* * *

The five heroes of the fall formal sat at their table in the back of the cafeteria. Since the formal, everything had seemed more relaxed and happy; groups were mixing and secret friendships had been revealed. The only time there was any sort of negative energy was when Sunset was around but it was always the hate emitting off the other students.

The four girls from this morning had somber expressions on their faces. Sure, the fiery haired girl had put their friendship through the wringer but it's not like the entire group was divided, some were still friends with the ones who hadn't been thought to have wronged them and their friendship was even patched up quickly, everyone admitting to have played a part in the reason it stayed broken. Just because Sunset Shimmer had planted the seeds, it didn't mean she deserved to have the entire student body against her.

Pinkie had filled Rarity in on what had happened during their first period home economics class when the pink girl walked in late with a note from the Principal and a less than upbeat attitude. Rarity was outraged and was honestly shocked that Sunset had refused to let Principal Celestia take any sort of action.

"Has Sunset been to any of her classes today?" Rarity asked the girls.

"I passed by her math class just before the bell rang for lunch." Applejack said, "She wasn't there."

Rainbow thought for a minute before coming to a realization, "Do any of us share a class with her?"

They all looked at each other before Pinkie Pie spoke, "We have art together every second day but that's it."

"Yeah," Rainbow spoke, "Isn't she an honor student?"

"I think so." Fluttershy said, "She does get a lot of school awards."

"I just hope she's ok." Applejack frowned, "She was in a pretty bad way when we left her."

"So," Rarity said in a serious tone, "We're in agreement then?"

Rainbow nodded, "My selling point was when she didn't want Trixie to even face punishment. I would have let her be locked up after that."

"She was being picked on and shoved in lockers when she was in the halls all of last week." Rarity said, "She didn't so much as complain or say a word."

"I don't think she's taking it as well as she's letting on though." Said Fluttershy.

"What makes you say that, darling?" Rarity asked her timid friend.

"She said she'd deserved it. No one taking being bullied well would say that." She explained, "Especially if they were already feeling guilty. I'm also willing to bet that she's claustrophobic. She was desperate enough to give herself a concussion."

"You're right." Applejack said, "I think Trixie needs a good butt kickin'."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Rarity said, "If we want to give her the chance she deserves, we need her to trust us enough to open up about herself. That means we should respect her wishes of not acting on Trixie." Rarity dead panned Rainbow Dash, "No matter how much she deserves it."

Rainbow crossed her arms and gave a huff. She looked at her purple haired friend and nodded her understanding.

"Pinkie Pie and I are going to take her to the hospital after lunch since there isn't anyone else to take her." Fluttershy said in her usual quiet voice.

"Yep!" Pinkie said, "I don't have my test until next week so Maud is going to drive."

"We should probably get going." Fluttershy said, standing up and grabbed her tray.

"Right!" Pinkie bounced up and followed the other girl, "See you girls later!"

Everyone waved off Pinkie and Fluttershy and continued to eat their lunches

Nurse Tender Heart sighed, it had been quiet as she finally finished her paperwork for the morning and looked to the girl on the bed. She had been really quiet, and there were quite a few times she'd had to go make sure she was still awake. It was lunch time for the students so the hour had far passed but she still didn't think it would be a good idea to let her sleep.

Sunset was feeling really terrible, she felt as if her head had a construction site on it and she wanted to throw up, as she had multiple times since coming to the nurses office. She wanted to fall asleep but she knew better, so she was content to lying on her back with an arm draped over her face to block out any light, headphones in.

Nurse Tender Heart tapped Sunset on the shoulder to make she was still with her. Sunset groaned that she was still awake.

"I know you want to go to sleep right now but you should get to see a doctor first." Tender Heart said, "Are you sure there isn't anyone who could take you?"

"No." Sunset stated.

"You're parents are out of town a lot." Tender Heart mused.

Sunset grunted just as there was a knock at the door.

"Nurse Tender Heart?" a soft voice called into the room, "Is everything alright?"

Nurse tender heart walked to the door, "Fluttershy, how are you?"

Fluttershy nodded, "I'm fine, thank you. Is Sunset still here?"

Nurse Tender Heart stepped aside and gestured to Sunset's direction. Fluttershy nodded gratefully and made her way to the other girl.

"Sunset, how are you feeling?" Fluttershy asked as she approached the other girl.

The fiery girl groaned, "Like I used my head as a battering ram." She shifted to see Fluttershy, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you." She said fidgeting nervously.

"What?" Sunset asked curiously, "Why are you so nervous?"

"W-well," she stammered, "I'm also here to take you to the hospital."

"Why?" Sunset asked, surprised by this revelation.

"Because you need to see a doctor and you don't have anyone to take you." Fluttershy said quietly but Sunset could still hear.

"It's fine, Fluttershy," Sunset said, "You don't have to. I can just take a bus."

Fluttershy knew Sunset was going to try to talk her out of it and the usually shy girl wasn't having it. She crossed her arms and spoke, "Oh, really? Get up then."

"Ok," Sunset said, sitting up gripping her head, being careful to avoid the cut on her forehead.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and went to get up but a voice

stopped her.

"If you are thinking of going yourself," Celestia said as she approached the bed, "I would advise against it."

The younger girl sighed and looked up at the three people in front of her, "Look, I'm fine, really. I just have a bit of a headache."

As far as Sunset was concerned, she was just a nuisance to these people. It was her own fault she had made Trixie hate her so much, though Sunset had never actually shoved her in a locker, the other gifted kids yes, but that was it, and it was her own actions that got her into this situation to begin with.

What am I even thinking? She thought, There is no way any one is going to give me a second chance! I really screwed things up for myself. I deserve this, all of it. I wanted to stop this months ago but I didn't. I wasn't strong enough to stop, I was afraid that this very thing would happen. Me, powerless.

"Sunset," Celestia said gently, "I don't know what you're thinking, but I insist you let Fluttershy take you to see a doctor. I can't force you, but I think it would be best."

Sunset looked up at the three, no, two people staring at her. Where did Fluttershy go? Whatever, she probably had better things to do.

"I just want to go home." Sunset decided. If you would even call it that.

Celestia bit her lip nervously, unsure of what to do. She was stuck. If Sunset wanted to go home, there really isn't anything she can do, not without hearing about it from the school board or authorities anyway.

Just then, Fluttershy walked back in the room with a smile on her face and, much to Sunset's surprise, she grabbed Sunset's arm and gave it a tug, getting her on her feet. Sunset was so tired, she didn't even resist, just stared at the pink haired student.

"I'll make sure she gets home safely." Fluttershy told the Principal.

Fluttershy gave Celestia a look that made the woman sigh in relief, "If you don't make it back for class, I will be sure that you don't get into trouble."

Fluttershy nodded and lead Sunset Shimmer out of the room and down the hall. Sunset was still a little wobbly but she wasn't nearly as dizzy as she had been.

"You're not taking me home, are you?." Sunset mumbled, still thinking this was an issue for Fluttershy.

Fluttershy continued leading her down the hall and as the new front doors came into view she spoke, "No. We are taking you to see a doctor." She sounded almost irritated but it was clear it wasn't entirely directed at Sunset.

"We?" Sunset questioned.

As they stepped outside the doors, they made their way across the courtyard to where a stone-grey car was idling. Leaning against it was a mass of fluffy pink hair who jumped up straight as she saw them approach and opened the back door.

"Fluttershy! Sunset!" A voice, obviously Pinkie Pie's, spoke with both worry and excitement, "I was starting to worry something happened. Well, something did happen but it's not the 'something' I was worried about, something else. Not that I wasn't worried about this something-"

"Thank you, Pinkie," Fluttershy interrupted, "But we should get going."

Pinkie helped Sunset into the car as Fluttershy went around to the other back seat door to sit next to her. The rambunctious girl slipped into the passenger seat then turned to face Sunset.

"Sunset," Pinkie said with a smile, pulling her attention to her, "This is my big sister Maud! You're going to get along great! Maud, this is my new friend Sunset!"

That got the fiery teen's attention, Friend? Did she just call me her friend? Must be the excuse she used to get her to drive me to the hospital.

"Hello." Maud said in the most uninterested, monotone voice Sunset had ever heard, "Nice to meet you."

Sunset was unsure of what to do but knew she had to respond, "Likewise. Thank you for, um, driving me." Her voice was groggy but it held no negativity so she called that a win.

"Your welcome, I'm happy to help." Maud said as she pulled away from the school.

Sunset sat quietly, almost falling asleep a few times during the ride but Fluttershy managed to keep her awake by shaking her shoulder every time she started to nod off. It did annoy Sunset but she understood why she was doing it. Now that she thought about it, Sunset realized that she really might not wake up if she went to sleep without first checking with a doctor.

I really did do a number on my head. Sunset looked over to Fluttershy. Still, I don't know why, of all people that would help me, it's Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. This world's people are hard to understand.

They pulled up to the front doors of the emergency room and the two pink haired teens got Sunset out of the car and into the building while Maud went to find parking.

Sunset got checked in after a little heart attack when questioned about her parents but Fluttershy acted quickly, telling them they were out of town on business.

Fluttershy steadied Sunset as they went and sat down in the waiting area, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie sitting to either side of her.

"Really guys," Sunset spoke, "I'm fine. There is no point in you staying."

"Then how are you getting home?" Pinkie asked.

"I can walk," Sunset told her, "Or take a bus. You really don't need to be here."

Fluttershy looked at her quizzically, "Do you have anyone you can call?" Sunset shook her head, "Do you have anyone you would prefer to be here?" another head shake. "Do you want to be alone?"

"Uh," Sunset stared at Fluttershy, slack jawed, unsure of how to respond.

She could admit that she didn't want to be alone, especially now where she was having a hard time getting her bearings, she wanted someone there. Having the two girls there made her feel safe but she didn't want them to feel like they were forced to be there. It isn't who she wanted to be anymore, she didn't want to be selfish.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to be here." Sunset said finally, "I don't care what the Princess said, you don't have to look after me. I've been left to my own devices this long, I don't need you here. I can handle myself." She shifted so she could bring her knees to her chest, "I don't want to be the one to keep you from something you would rather be doing."

"You didn't answer my question." Fluttershy pressed.

Sunset gripped her legs tighter, sighing in defeat, "No, but you guys can leave if you want."

"Do you want us to leave?" Pinkie asked, "And don't say what you think we want to hear or what you think would spare our feelings, if you don't want us to leave say so, if you do, that's fine too and wow that was weird to say to you!"

Fluttershy giggled, "I'm not going to lie, that was a bit strange."

After a small chuckle from Pinkie Pie, both eyes returned to the red and gold haired teen.

"So, do you want us to leave? Or do you want us to stay?" Pinkie asked again.

Sunset could feel tears welling in her eyes, Are they serious? Will they actually stay if I ask them? What if they laugh and leave anyway? I don't want to be here alone. I hate hospitals but who doesn't? I guess there is only one way to know for sure, not like I have anything left to lose. Even if they are willing to give me a second chance like Rainbow Dash said. Not sure if I believe that either.

Sunset muttered, "Stay."

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie smiled at her.

Pinkie grabbed Sunset in a hug and said, "Of course we want to stay! We wouldn't be here if we didn't!" very loudly, making Sunset wince painfully at the sound.

"Pinkie, you're talking too loud." Maud said as she came in and sat across from the girls, "She's got a concussion, her ears are probably really sensitive."

"Oops!" Pinkie said in a hushed voice, "Sorry, Sunset."

"It's fine." She responded, a small smile on her face.


	5. No One Likes Hospitals

Like most hospitals, it was a little over an hour before a doctor was free to see Sunset and no one was at all surprised that he said she had a second grade concussion. He ordered a CT scan to be sure and they were surprised when the hospital could take her immediately but the doctor instructed Pinkie Pie, Maud and Fluttershy to remain in the waiting room.

Sunset was relieved that she had gotten her paperwork all sorted out six months prior. It was the reason Sunset lived in an abandoned building, all her extra money was being saved so she would have the papers she needed just in case something happened or she chose to stay.

The doctor had told her the scan took about thirty minutes but she had to stay perfectly still. This, Sunset already knew. They had those machines in Equestria, she needed one while she was a filly when a stack of books fell on her head while in Princess Celestia's library in the palace. It was probably one of the worst days she had before she started to get cruel.

Celestia had been so concerned for her well-being that she had put off her royal duties for the entire day just to sit in the hospital. Sunset had been out cold for a few hours that day, having knocked herself unconscious again while trying to prove she could walk fine, tripping over her own hooves and face planting against the wall.

Sunset let the doctor know she was a little claustrophobic so he gave her tips on how to handle it as he too was not fond of small space. He also had put music on through the speakers to help her relax. The half hour passed quickly and she was taken back into the waiting room to await the results.

Though she was still tired and had a headache, she was now walking a lot better and no longer felt like vomiting, so she considered that another win.

"The doctor told me to wait until the scans were ready." Sunset said as she plopped down in her seat between Pinkie and Fluttershy.

"How are you feeling?" Fluttershy asked.

Sunset took a deep breath, "My head hurts and I'm tired but I feel a lot better, thanks. Now I can actually think."

"That's great!" Pinkie said, "We should have a 'congratulations on feeling better' party!"

Sunset gave Pinkie an incredulous look, "Why?"

"Because I like to make people happy with parties!" She said, "I love to throw them!"

"If you really want to make people happy, don't have one where I'm invited." Sunset said, leaning back in her chair.

"But that wouldn't make _you_ happy, silly." Pinkie said.

Sunset rolled her eyes and closed them. "Who cares if I'm happy? I haven't actually been happy in years, and I don't really care. I made your lives miserable and now you're sitting with me in the hospital after I gave myself a concussion."

"Well," Fluttershy spoke, "You wanted us to stay. That's what friends do."

"Friends?" Sunset paused and could feel a tear leaking from her eye, "You're not my friends. I barely know you! What I do know about you, I used to destroy you!" Sunset looked at Fluttershy. "I don't _deserve_ to be friends with you!" She wasn't angry, all three girls could see that and all three of them could see the sadness in her eyes. Finally, she sighed, "You guys should go. It's getting late, I'm OK to take a bus home."

"Are you sure?" Pinkie asked, "At least one of us could stay with you."

"No, it's alright," Sunset waved her off, "Go, thank you for staying as long as you did. I really do appreciate it."

They all nodded, the two other teens even gave her a hug she couldn't bring herself to return. Sunset waved them off with a sad smile. She was sad to see them go but she was the one who sent them away, they would have stayed as long as she wanted them to. Besides, she didn't really want them to know where she lived

 _Friends?_ Sunset questioned, closing her eyes, _Friends with me? That doesn't sound right. They are friends with Twilight, they promised to look after me. That's what they stayed and I sent them away. I don't want them mixed up in my problems just because they're_ ' _ **friends'**_ _with me. They probably won't bother with me come tomorrow anyway._

Sunset jumped when her name was called, Doctor Horse was waiting with a smile on his face. The teen went over and followed him into a nearby room that looked exactly like a clinic's exam room, not an emergency room but it was a lot better than the rest of the musty sterile rooms in the hospital.

"So, this is going to be short and sweet." The Doctor smiled, "You are going to be fine. It was only a grade two and you seem to be doing a lot better since you came in. Your friends were really nice to bring you here."

Sunset frowned, "They're not my friends. I don't have any."

He raised an eyebrow, "If they're not your friends, why did they wait for you?"

"They were just being nice." She said, "They have no reason to be. I bullied them since we started High School."

He nodded, "How did you end up like that then?"

"Some girl shoved me in a locker and locked it." Sunset explained, "I had a panic attack and tried to bust it open with my head. As you can see, it didn't end well.

"Yes, you probably dented the locker. Custodian isn't going to like that." He said with a completely serious expression.

Sunset couldn't help but chuckle a little at his joke, "Probably not."

"So, what was the name of this girl?" He asked.

"Trixie." Sunset said honestly, "I just want to let it go. If she gets punished it's only going to get worse for me. Principal Celestia knows it was her though. Am I good to go home now?"

"Yes," Dr. Horse said, "No physical activity until your headache goes away. If you walk to school, take it easy or take a bus."

"Yes, sir." Sunset said, with a salute and a smile "Can I have a note for my Gym teacher?"

"Of course." He smiled, chickling at the girl's sense of humor. They sat in silence as he scribbled on his clipboard.

He handed Sunset a piece of paper with a note written on it, then she folded it up and put it in her pocket.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Your welcome." He nodded as he held the door open for her, "You should really re-think that friendship thing, you'll probably like it."

Sunset left without a word and made it just in time to board the bus home.

Sunset stood in the middle of the courtyard late at night night, looking at the scene unfold in front of her. The student body was hypnotized and her demon self, hovered in the sky, looking down on Princess Twilight. A ball of dark magic formed in her hands.

This was a scene Sunset had watched unfold almost every time she closed her eyes, the only exception was the dreamless sleep she had the night of the event. It haunted her but she would never let her fear show in the waking world.

It was a few days after the formal that she made the terrifying realization. It had been a lot of the reason she wanted to keep the five girls away from her, she was dangerous and didn't want them to get hurt. It was so close, they got in the way of her target, they should have never even gotten hit with that ball of darkness. Yet her target was no different. Innocent, pure, everything Sunset had pushed away in favor of greed, anger, hate, revenge…power.

The demon chucked the ball at the Princess, and her friends ran in at the last moment. Even now Sunset felt relief when she saw that barrier around them. Just that barrier made her want to cry with joy. Then unlike the previous dreams, the scene rewound.

Again, the ball flew, this time, no barrier. The dream shoved her forwards to look at the damage. Six girls lay on the ground, battered and bloody, no life was left, no friendship was present, just depression. Sunset fell to her knees and cried angrily.

"No!" She sobbed, "They didn't deserve this! Why did I let it go this far!"

"This is what you wanted isn't it?" her demon placed a hand on her back, it seared through her clothes, giving birth to her own wings, "They were in your way."

"They were doing the right thing!" Sunset yelled, "Now, they're gone! I'm a monster!"

"Why do you care?" The demon asked, "You said they're not your friends."

"Because I don't deserve to have any." Cried Sunset, "They never deserved anything I did to them. This is my punishment."

"Yes," the demon mused, "we always said friendship was a weakness, it would always lead to feelings we don't have room for."

"I hate that I thought like that." Sunset said, "Look where that philosophy got me."

"But you could start again." The demon laughed evilly, "This pathetic school could be at your knees once again."

"No, I don't want it." Sunset said.

At that moment she was in that locker again.

 _She demon._

 _Monster._

 _Sinner._

 _Just go die in a ditch_

 _Devil._

The insults of her fellow students could be heard until she reached the waking world.

Her greatest fear was that she could have become little more than a killer and that was a thought she wouldn't bare to live with.


	6. Broken

Celestia sat in her office on Tuesday morning mulling over the previous day's events. Sunset's words concerned her ' _I had it coming, I deserved it'_ No one deserved to think that, former bully or not. She was thankful that Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had taken the girl to the hospital. She was sure no other student or even staff would have been kind enough to stay with her either.

 _I hope she can handle herself._ Celestia thought, _If at least one student can see that she's trying, perhaps they can help her through this. Those five girls seem to see it. From what my sister told me, she pushed Snips and Snails away, a good thing for them and a great thing Sunset had done but now she's alone._

"Sister?" a voice spoke, snapping Celestia from her thoughts, drawing her attention to the dark-haired vice principal at the door to her office.

"Luna, come in." Celestia greeted.

The younger woman sat at one of the chairs across from her desk, "Sunset Shimmer just dropped this off at the front desk."

Luna placed a folded parchment on the desk. Opening it, Celestia saw that it was a doctor's note, explaining the situation. She bit her lip.

"Doctor Horse suggests counseling, and not for her injury." Luna said once Celestia placed the letter on her desk, "However, it's only been a couple weeks. There is a chance this will right itself."

"Yes, I know, I'm just concerned." Celestia said, "If this doesn't right itself, it will get a lot worse. She doesn't even have anyone at home to look after her."

"Yes, I did look into that as you asked." Luna nodded, "The address actually exists but I have a feeling it is not where she lives."

"So, we don't know where she's staying?" Celestia contemplated, "Or if she even _has_ a place to stay."

"Sister," Luna placed her hands over Celestia's, "She isn't exactly unkempt, she obviously has _somewhere_ to stay."

The woman sighed, "You're right. I'm probably just over reacting."

"I have to say though," Luna leaned back in her chair, "I do like this 'behind the backs of the board' thing you have for Sunset. It's not like she doesn't have proper papers, just…odd circumstances."

Celestia smirked, "That's probably because of your innate desire to undermine any kind of authority."

"Ah. Yes," Luna smiled wickedly, "But now I _am_ an authority and I can catch those that want to go against it. I just need to keep in practice to properly do my job."

"You are still such a child." Celestia laughed.

"Yes," the younger sister smirked, "But a child with authority and their own money to buy video games."

The sisters laughed and continued to chat until Luna reluctantly returned to her office, embracing her psychotic joy of seeing trouble makers squirm under her gaze.

Sunset's week had been straight from Tartarus. Now Friday, she sat at the very back corner of her chemistry class. Usually, she would choose a spot at the front, closer to the teacher so she wouldn't be distracted by the other students, this week however, Sunset wanted to be able to see everyone in the room to watch her back. For the entirety of the week, she donned a pair of sunglasses with cyan frames, darker than her natural eye color, with black tinted lenses.

She had woken up with a killer headache every day but now, it was at a more manageable level and her now recurring nightmare of killing the five girls terrified and haunted her to no end. It had always played out like it did at the night of the fall formal, the girls shielded by the magic inside them. That thought alone had been enough to get her to relax. Now though, she saw exactly what _could_ have been and it scared her. Every morning she went around the school, counting off each girl in order to let herself breathe.

 _Come on, Sunset. They're fine, the formal was two weeks ago._ Sunset told herself, _I'm not a killer, even I know that wasn't really me. I tried to stop, I just wasn't strong enough._

This was a battle she'd been having with herself all morning between the whispers and paper balls being thrown at her. Between that and her headache, Sunset couldn't pay attention to the lesson. She will have to revise on her own time.

The morning passed and the bell finally rang for lunch. Sunset was quick in getting out of the class room and rushing down the hallway. No one could see because of the tinted lenses but her eyes darted from one person to another, listening to the snickers. Some students bumped into her or outright shoved her out of the way like she was some pest that needed to be squashed.

She ran outside and around the side of the building, getting away from people as quick as possible. She was not only avoiding the rest of the students but also the five girls she had wronged the most. They also happened to be the only ones who weren't giving her a hard time and no doubt saw her efforts to change.

During the week she had tried to be fairly friendly, giving small smiles in the hallway. There were a few instances where she had let the nerds out of lockers and helped others pick up papers or books they had dropped. During her free periods, she found herself in the Library reading or helping Miss Cheerilee catalogue the books.

At first, the mild-mannered librarian had been surprised when she first offered and was hesitant to allow it. It only took a half hour of watching the teen put the books away, getting distracted every so often as she opened one that peaked her interest. Sunset never got through putting away her pile but Cheerilee started to enjoy the young girl's company, occasionally chatting about books they both read.

 _I should have just stayed home._ She sighed, _not like it's going to get any better. They'll be stomping on me until graduation._

"I don't know why I even bother coming back at all." Sunset said aloud as she slammed into a fleshy surface.

"Sorry," Sunset muttered, "I wasn't paying attention."

"That was the best thing you've said since coming to this school." An unmistakable voice spoke.

Sunset looked up from her feet and saw that Trixie was blocking her path to the side of the school a few feet behind the blue girl.

"Thanks." Sunset said sarcastically.

"I mean, you _are_ going to regret everything you've done." Trixie ignored her, "I am 'The Great and Powerful Trixie! Justice giver of Canterlot high! You will pay for what you have done now that all your power is gone! You are a monster Sunset. A creature so _vile_ should never have had a name so beautiful!"

Sunset, at this moment was glad for her sunglasses. Tears started to sting her eyes at every word she had said. _I never thought words could hurt this much. Is she right, though? Is that what I've become? A monster?_

Trixie smiled, wickedly, "Who let you out of that locker anyway? You were gone when I went to let you out at lunch." She placed a finger on her chin in thought, "Actually, I don't know your combination." The girl shrugged, "No matter, it seemed enough to scare you off for the day. **Point Trixie!** "

As she spoke, Trixie was inching her way towards her. Every step Trixie took, Sunset took another back, now, the blue girl had Sunset pinned against the lockers. Now the tears were evident through the glasses because of the streaks they left on her cheeks. Her expression though, seemed to remain neutral.

Behind them, three more girls came out from hiding. Two of them were Trixie's lackeys the other was someone who Sunset actually left be, only for fear of getting her face pounded in. Gilda was definitely bigger than her and had a temper even shorter than the fiery haired teen's. They had a silent agreement when Sunset had ruled the school to stay out of each other's way. Now, it seemed, that agreement was null and void.

"Hey dweeb." Gilda smiled, "I never thought I'd see the day where you were the one cowering."

Sunset remained silent.

Gilda grabbed Sunset's collar and slammed her against the lockers, "What? You're not even going to fight back? Lame. Where were you Monday, huh? I was waitin' for ya. My girls and I thought you had gone free long enough."

"Look, Gilda." Trixie smirked, taking off Sunset's glasses, "Turns out she's not as tough as she looks."

Gilda lifted her off the ground, forcing Sunset to grip the older girl's arm, laughing, "Wow, I never thought I'd see the day Sunset Shimmer broke. You're miserable, aren't you? Ha! Dweeb. You know you deserve this right? You did this to yourself."

"I-I…" Sunset gasped out, "I never did anything to you Gilda."

"Because you stayed out of my way and I stayed out of yours." Gilda sneered, "But you were worth something then. You had dirt on me and you had a school. Now you're trash."

Gilda gave Sunset a right hook to the side of her head, leaving the girl sprawling on the ground. Sunset rolled over only to have the weight of Gilda's combat boot rest on her stomach and glared down triumphantly before lifting her foot, kicking the girl in the side.

Sunset cried out in pain then managed to prop herself against the wall.

"You are nothing Simmer!" Gilda spat, "You're just a bug for others to squash."

Sunset looked up at Gilda, a small, sad smile greeted the girl, "You don't have to tell me that. I made a mistake, I'm trying to be better but now, I'm just letting people take out their frustrations. So, you're right. I. Am. Nothing."

Gilda clenched her fists and lifted Sunset off the ground again, "I'm going to wipe that smirk off your worthless little face!"

True, each word let another tear loose from Sunset's eyes but she was starting to get used to it. She had hit rock bottom but somehow, the students of Canterlot High beat her even lower.

 _That's karma for you._ Sunset mused, _I was bound to get what I deserved._

"Put her down!" A girl's voice called.

All present looked in the direction of the voice to see Rainbow dash and her friends standing at the corner of the school closest to the one-sided fight. Rainbow and Applejack stood in front of the group with clenched fists.

 _They all look… angry._ Sunset assessed, _But they aren't looking at me. Are they mad at Gilda? What am I saying, of course they are, I've never actually seen them be angry at me after the fall formal._

"Pinkie, go get Principal Celestia." Rainbow said, "You're a lot faster than Fluttershy."

"Okie Dokie Loki." Pinkie said just before running off.

"Dash?" Gilda said, confused, "What are you doing?"

"I said put her down." She said again.

"C'mon dash," Gilda smiled sweetly, "I thought you were cool. I'm just going to beat this she-demon into the ground where she belongs." Gilda slammed Sunset into the wall for emphasis, making the other girl yelp.

"Stay out of it." Sunset said with tears in her eyes, "I don't want you to get involved in my problems."

"I hate to say it, darling." Rarity said, "But you have no choice in the matter."

"Why not!" Sunset yelled, the others flinching at the sudden volume, "I'm a monster! I deserve your hate."

"Sunset-" Applejack started but Sunset interrupted.

"I am!" She snapped, "I-I…I almost obliterated you!"

That made everyone freeze.

"It wasn't the you we see now." Rainbow said, "That…thing was something else."

It was Sunset's turn to freeze but Gilda wasn't having it, suddenly punching Sunset in the cheek again without any warning. Rainbow ran forwards and shoulder checked Gilda, Sunset falling from her grasp and into Applejack's.

Sunset was dazed, now unsure of what was going on at the moment as Rainbow kept Gilda distracted in hopes the Principal Celestia would soon show up.

"Gilda!" Celestia yelled, stopping said girl in her tracks.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Three things;**

 **1\. You will grow to love Luna... I hope. She's going to cause a few laughs.**

 **2\. I promise this will be the last time in a while that Sunset will get hurt like that...possibly.**

 **3\. Cliff hanger! You want chapter 7 today? Comment your opinion on the chapter and we will see how nice I am!**

 **Seriously, 5 comments from 5 different people and I'll post it! Why 5 you ask? Cause this is on 3 different sites and I'm just adding them together. I'm not unreasonable, I just want to know how I'm doing.**

 **HaHa! I'm kinda evil when it comes to writing. Seriously, I had over 20 chapters for this story written before posting it, imagine how many I have now! :rainbowlaugh:**

 **Hey, at least you know I'm not going to abandon this part way through!**

 **Later!**


	7. Revelations

**Author's Note**

 **AAAAANNNNDDD Chapter 7!**

 **So, i'm going to be honest here, I was always going to post chapter 7 regardless of comments! This was a 2 part chapter. It was originally supposed to be one but it was two long so I had to split it! Thanks for the comments though!**

 **Also, who saw my puns?**

* * *

"Gilda!" Celestia yelled, stopping Gilda in her tracks.

Celestia stood where the five girls had been not a minute earlier. She was accompanied by Vice-principal Luna and Pinkie Pie who went over to where her friends were huddled around Sunset. Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna exchanged concerned glances. Looking over to Sunset who was still in a dazed state and then to Trixie and her two friends, who had kept silent since fists began to fly.

Celestia turned her attention to the five girls who were trying to get Sunset to her feet, "You five, please take Sunset to the Nurse. The rest of you, my office, now."

The four troublemakers followed the two women as the remaining girls tried to get Sunset to lean on Applejack. As Applejack tried to grip the girl's side, she yelped and jerked away, almost falling to the ground if it weren't for Rarity catching her.

"Thanks, Rarity." Sunset mumbled as she managed to stand up right, gripping her side.

"Not a Problem, darling." Rarity said, "How are you feeling?"

"Like a Griffon flew into my side then punched me in the face." She said.

"That _is_ pretty accurate." Pinkie popped up.

Sunset almost fell forward but used Pinkie's shoulder to steady herself, "Thanks for helping me. I'm pretty sure she was legitimately going to kill me."

Pinkie took Sunset's arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, allowing the girl to lean on her while they walked.

"Why were you guys even back here anyway?" Sunset asked, "Don't you usually eat in the Cafeteria?"

"We were looking for you, Silly!" Pinkie said in her usual upbeat tone.

"Ya see, Sunset," Applejack spoke, "We uh, were concerned."

"We may have noticed you were avoiding us." Fluttershy explained, "You looked scared whenever we saw you. We thought maybe we did something to offend you."

Sunset Stopped in her tracks, "Offend me? _You_ are afraid you offended me? Why would you even think that? You are the only ones who have been even remotely nice to me since the formal!"

"Then why are you avoiding us?" Fluttershy asked.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt." Sunset said as if it was obvious.

The girls looked at her, dumbfounded. Never in a million years have they thought that Sunset Shimmer would be afraid of hurting them. The same girls who took her down at the fall formal. If anything, they though _she_ should be the one who should be angry.

Sunset sighed, looking at their confused expressions, "You've seen how everyone in the

school treats me now! I don't want anyone else to endure that with me! A couple weeks ago I would have been more than happy to drag you down with me but now I don't want even close to that. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me."

"I highly doubt that would happen, Sunset." Rarity said, "If anything, it would be easier on you."

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash added, "We were the ones to stop you. The odds of anyone opposing us being friends with you, at least out loud, is _extremely_ low."

"I have a feelin' something else is botherin' ya." Applejack interjected, "Why have you _really_ been avoiding us?"

"That was the reason. Or at least part of it." Sunset added, "Sorry, my head is killing me,

I need to sit down."

The girls lead her over to take a seat on the front steps of the school. _I guess they won't leave me alone unless I give them a reason to._

"I already told you." Sunset said, "I almost killed you and the Princess. I guess I'm just scared of what could have been. It's hard to forget almost doing something like that, even if I didn't have any control."

"But that's not what happened." Applejack said, "I'd be lyin' if I said the thought hasn't

occurred to me."

Everyone nodded in agreement. They all had actually discussed it at length after Twilight had explained to them the applications of dark magic and the side effects. It was the reason they had decided to watch Sunset for a while to be sure it really _wasn't_ her that was in control in her demon form.

"And you feel guilty about it." Rarity said in a comforting tone, "So much so that you couldn't bring yourself to be near us. That tells us a lot about who you really are."

"That and you're a total egghead." Rainbow snickered.

"Huh?" Sunset gave her a questioning look.

"We saw you in the library helping Miss Cheerilee." Fluttershy said with a smile, "You seemed to get distracted a lot."

Sunset felt a blush creep to her face, "Oh."

"Oh!" Rainbow said suddenly, "I almost forgot! The reason we came to find you was to, uh, inform? Yeah! We came to _inform_ you that you cannot handle things alone and we aren't going to let you out of our sight!"

"At least until we get to know each other enough and you decide you really _don't_ want to be in our little group." Rarity said.

"It was hard watching you all week." Fluttershy added, "We just want you to give us the same chance we would love to give you."

 _Am I really hearing this right now?_ Sunset was dumb struck, _These girls genuinely want to give me a chance? They want me to also give_ _ **them**_ _a chance? They must be insane! Why would they want me to be their friend!_

"I still don't get it." Sunset said, tear starting to form in her eyes, "You actually _want_ to be my friend? If you're doing this just because Twilight asked you to, I don't want you to feel obligated."

"Honestly," Applejack said, "We didn't really know Twi all that long. We consider her a good friend but we don't _really_ know her. We've know _you_ since middle school, well most of us did, and now, watching you, we've seen you try to clean up your act in so little time. Keeping that kind of promise to a friend we know little about doesn't really make sense."

Rarity placed a hand on Sunset's arm, "What Applejack is trying to say is yes, Twilight planted the idea in our heads but she isn't the reason why we are doing this. We just want to help you be the best you, you can be."

Sunset let her tears fall as she looked down at her knees and nodded, unsure of how to respond. She couldn't shake the possibility of their only motive being that Twilight asked them to look out for her, despite what Applejack and Rarity had said, but, like on Monday, she found other people's presence comforting.

"Ugh!" Sunset said screamed as she leaned against the steps of the school, "What am I even supposed to do! I can't think. I feel like the universe is out to hurt my head."

"Well," Pinkie said, "You did get punched a couple times. And then there was incident with the locker, aaaannndd the fact that we blasted you with a rainbow laser directed at your face." She thought for a second, "Maybe the universe _is_ out to get you!"

The fact that the pink girl said all of that without so much as a wavering expression, Sunset started to snicker. That snicker turned into a full-blown laugh which didn't seem to last long as Sunset flinched, gripping her side and groaned but smiled nonetheless.

"Yep," She grinned, "The universe is out to get me." Snickering again she looked to Pinkie Pie, "Are you always this excited about everything?"

Pinkie shrugged, "Pretty much."

"Now that we got that out of the way," Rarity stood, "We should really be getting Sunset to the nurse and get some ice. It's starting to bruise and it can't be good for her complexion."

"Yes, cause' that's the issue here." Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Why, of course it is Applejack!" Rarity dramatically touched her hand to her collarbone, "Sunset had always had a clear complexion and it would be a shame for it to be blemished by a bruise!" She turned to the fiery haired bystander, "By the way, you have to give me your secret! How does your face always look unblemished?"

Sunset raised an eyebrow as she was lead in side, "Because it is. I like to wash my face a lot so there isn't any dead skin or oils to clog my hair follicles. I do get the odd pimple but it's usually in my hairline so you don't see it."

 _OK, a minute ago I was screaming that I almost killed them and now we are just talking normally?_ Sunset processed, _I have never been more confused in my entire life and I had to deal with Celestia's double!_

As they walked down the hall, Sunset barely took notice at how her and the five girls were walking. It was as if they had formed a wall around her. Rainbow and Applejack walked right behind her and caught and threw back any paper balls that came their way. On either side of her was Fluttershy and Rarity, meeting any hateful looks and comments with glares of their own. Pinkie just happily lead the way.

For the most part though, the students were confused as to what was even happening. Wondering why Sunset Shimmer of all people were being protected by the five girls who had saved them from her wrath.

In this shell, Sunset knew she was safe but she was still very uncomfortable. Soon, they entered the Nurse's office where Nurse Tender Heart sat at her desk. When she noticed the six girls entering her office, she got up and quickly met them at the door.

"Girls?" She questioned.

Pinkie Pie moved out of the way to reveal a beaten and battered sunset, her right cheek now starting to bruise.

"Sunset?" Nurse Tender Heart gently padded the younger girl's face, Sunset flinching every couple taps, "What happened."

"I think Gilda bruised my ribs." She replied.

"Come have a seat," the nurse gestured to a bed then looked up at the clock, "You girls should start heading to class, the bell is going to ring any minute"

They looked reluctant to leave so Sunset spoke, "I'll be fine. Honest."

"Yes, yes." Nurse Tender Heart shooed them out of the way, "Sunset is in good hands, now shoo."

"But I have a free period." Fluttershy protested.

"Then you can wait outside." Tender Heart said before closing the door, turning to Sunset, "Now, let's see your ribs."

Tender Heart looked over Sunset's injuries and frowned, "Good news; they aren't broken, bad news, you'll have a nasty bruise for a while."

Sunset nodded, "Figured as much." She yawned, "Can I go back to class now?"

"Hold on Sunset." She said, "Have you been sleeping OK?"

This question confused Sunset but she answered honestly; "Somewhat, getting punched might be why I look so tired."

She nodded, "Why don't you have a rest? I will wake you up after this period."

Sunset smiled, "I think I'll take you up on that thanks.

Sunset lay back in the bed and closed her eyes for a dreamless sleep.


	8. Act

"Ok, thank you Tender Heart. I'll let her teacher know." Celestia said into the phone Turning her attention to the two girls sitting across from her.

Gilda sat, arms crossed with an angry expression across her face. Sure, she just beat up Sunset Shimmer but the redhead had it coming. Trixie however, remained silent. She had never been in serious trouble before now. The most she'd gotten was detention from a magic trick gone south.

"Now," Celestia said to the girls, "I would like an explanation as to what I just witnessed."

Gilda perked up then put on the fakest pouty face Principal Celestia had ever seen.

"It was Shimmer, honest." Gilda whined, "She came at me and Trixie! We were just hanging out and she started bad mouthing us. Then, when I told her to buzz off, she punched me! I was just defending myself."

Celestia took note of Trixie's surprised expression, a clear indication of what the Principal already knew, Gilda was lying.

"We do not tolerate violence at this school Gilda." Celestia dead panned the girl, "Nor do we condone lying to the Principal."

"But she-" Gilda tried but was interrupted by Principal Celestia's hand.

"Gilda, in all the time Sunset has been a student here, she has never once initiated violence and with the state she's in now, I doubt she even has the energy to do such a thing." Celestia spoke then calmed herself with a sigh, "Since you are transferring to Crystal Prep next week, you are here by suspended for the next two weeks, out of school. If I catch you near Sunset on school grounds, I will call the authorities and if I catch you near here outside of school," Celestia's expression and tone turned dark, "You will have more than just the police to deal with. Now get out."

Gilda shivered at the coldness of the usually kind Principal's voice. That glare followed her until the door shut behind her, leaving only Celestia and Trixie alone in the office.

Celestia held her glare for a moment before realizing what she had just done, _Did I just **threaten**_ _a student? What was I thinking? She could file a lawsuit! I could lose my job._ She went into a panic before realizing she was still in the presence of a student.

"Miss Lulamoon," She said with authority, "Though I know you aren't one for flailing fist, I do wish to hear what happened. Exactly."

"I-I'm sorry." She muttered as tears welled in her eyes, "I- Gilda, I didn't know she would actually _harm_ Sunset, I just asked her to scare her, stop her from coming to Canterlot high! We don't want to be under her rule again!"

"What would make you think that she would 'rule' again?" Celestia asked curiously.

Trixie stared blankly, "I-She…well she…It's just what Sunset Shimmer does."

"As I see it," Celestia spoke, "Sunset has done nothing to you, or anyone else at this school since the fall formal. The Sunset I saw on Monday, was one who regrets what she's done to the point of believing she deserved to be shoved and locked in her own locker." She gave Trixie a pointed glare as the girl tensed at the mention of the incident. "Yes, I've known it was you since Pinkie Pie came to me when her friends were trying to free Sunset."

"Snitch." Trixie said under her breath but Principal Celestia heard.

This made the practiced Principal's eyebrow twitch. It took all of her willpower to not lash out at the young girl. Instead, she did the next best thing; tell the full, heart crushing truth.

"Do you know where Sunset was on Monday afternoon?" asked Celestia, "Truthfully."

"Well, I assumed she'd skipped school." Trixie said.

"In a way, but under mine and Nurse Tender Heart's orders." Celestia saw the girl's questioning glance, "Afterwards, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie took her to the hospital."

"She was probably faking whatever it was." Trixie said bitterly, "She's lied before to get what she wants."

The woman looked at her and realized she'd needed to approach this a little differently. She needed to be blunter, "Apparently, Miss Shimmer is claustrophobic." Celestia couldn't suppress her glare any longer, "She tried to beat the door open with her head. I have a doctor's note indicating that she had given herself a concussion and was to avoid any strenuous activities. As we speak she is sleeping in the nurse's office. I doubt getting punched in the face did her any good."

Trixie stared wide eyed, trying to process this new information. She worked her jaw but no words came out.

"Now," The Principal spoke, "Sunset had initially asked me to let the matter go and now I see that was a poor decision on my part. So, as Vice-Principal Luna and I have discussed, two weeks of out of school suspension, a phone call to your father who I am confident can find an adequate punishment for you."

"But Sunset got a week in school!" Trixie protested, "How is that fair?"

Celestia almost lost it, "Because unlike you, Sunset doesn't _have_ anyone at home, her parents are away on business."

Trixie paused again, "OK, I'm sorry, that is _more_ than fair." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a set of cyan sunglasses and set them on the desk and looked away defiantly, "I'm guessing _she_ will need this back."

After that, Principal Celestia had Vice-Principal Luna escorted Trixie to get her things, allowing the woman to have time to think while filling out the paperwork for this particular incident after calling Mr. Lulamoon.

She wanted nothing more than to expel Gilda but the expulsion wouldn't even hold considering she was transferring any way. Celestia also wanted to press assault charges for both girls but sadly, she had no jurisdiction over anything having to do with Sunset outside of school. Usually, that would be up to the parents

In the entire ordeal, she couldn't help but notice how protective she got about Sunset. It was easily chalked up to how similar she was to her and her sister. Again though, she frowned at the thought. Their lack of interference with Sunset's situation was actually making it _worse_ for the girl. Sunset, though stronger than most of the students in the school, was still just a teenager alone in a world foreign to her. No less, she'd been there for _six_ years meaning she's been in this word since before she was out of her childhood.

The girl's will was stronger than anything Celestia had ever seen. However, as she told Trixie, Sunset was alone. She had _no one._ No one to lean on, no one to comfort her or keep her warm in the winter. She thought back to one week when Sunset was in the ninth grade and had called in sick for almost two weeks because she had the flu. Sunset had to have been alone then too.

This revelation was absolutely heartbreaking.

 _How did a **child** survive so long in this place?_ Celestia questioned, _Actually, was she ever happy like this? If I didn't have Luna It would probably eat me up, I wouldn't be able to stand it. I see why Doctor Horse suggested counseling, he probably got her talking and was concerned._ She sighed, _I don't exactly want the world knowing about her situation, not even the staff. Luna, Twilight's friends and myself are the only ones that know and it will have to stay that way._

Just then, Luna walked into her office, "Sister? Are you crying?"

The old sister was snapped from her thoughts upon hearing her sister, _What is she talking about?_ Celestia touched her hand to her cheek, feeling a damp line down her face.

"Well that's strange." She muttered then looked to her sister, "I didn't even notice."

Luna raised an eyebrow, "Miss Lulamoon's father just picked her up. I am sure she will face adequate punishment." She closed the door and sat across from her sister, a concerned expression across her face, "Are you OK, Tia?"

The older woman sighed, "Yes, I am fine. I just worry about the whole situation with Sunset."

Luna nodded in understanding, "As do I. Mostly because other than Gilda and Trixie, I've seen so many other students gang up on the girl. I admit, she was a little terror, but I feel that this is getting out of hand."

Luna, like every day, walked the halls between classes when she had time in order to catch anyone causing trouble. This past week she had given so many detentions for foul language and throwing objects at Sunset, she had to move some detentions to lunch and before school. It was chaos, all because of one girl who rarely got caught and served out her punishment just like anyone else when she did. Luna was also very sure that the majority of the students that were getting 'revenge' on Sunset Shimmer had never _actually_ had any trouble with the girl.

"Dr. Horse probably saw some behaviors in Sunset that concerned him when she was there." Celestia said with a sigh.

"Yes," Luna nodded, "However, we do not want anyone else to know Sunset's situation. Those five girls seem to be making an effort with her. In fact, I saw them create a human barrier around Miss Shimmer on the way to the nurse's office earlier."

"I'm glad." Celestia said, "Pinkie Pie did tell us they were going to try to be her friends."

Luna giggled, "With Miss Pie involved, I doubt she'll be given much of a choice."

Celestia smiled at her sister's comment, "The best we can do now is keep an eye on her. I will call her in on Monday so I can get a feel for her mental state. I _am_ still a certified counselor and teacher."

"That is probably for the best." Luna then looked at the clock and sighed, "I better be getting back to my paperwork."

"As will I." Celestia picked up her pen, "I'll see you after detention."

"I'm not sure who's the ones getting punished, me or the children." Luna mumbled as she left the room while Celestia laughed at her sister's childish comment.

She looked at Sunset's sunglasses sitting on her desk, _She's been wearing these all week. Probably because of the headache._ Celestia grabbed them, _No problem in taking them to her myself. It's good to stretch my legs anyway._

Celestia left the office and headed to the nurse's office, shooing a few of the regular skippers to class but kept on her path. Upon turning the corner, Celestia saw Fluttershy scribbling in a notebook while sitting on the floor in front of the nurse's office.

"Fluttershy?" Celestia called as she approached, "This isn't where you usually spend your free period."

The girl jumped a little at the sudden voice of the Principal, "P-Principal Celestia! I-I didn't see you there."

"I'm sorry I scared you, Fluttershy." Celestia apologized, "I was just curious as to why you're sitting out here alone."

"Oh!" Fluttershy said in a quiet but audible voice, "Nurse Tender Heart won't let me in because Sunset's sleeping. I decided to wait out here until she wakes up just in case."

"I see." Principal Celestia held up the sunglasses, "I came to return these to Sunset."

"Didn't Trixie take them?" She asked.

"She did but gave them to me when she was in my office." Celestia explained.

"That's good." Fluttershy smiled sadly, "Sunset's eyes were really bloodshot, I guessed it was from the headache and she has seemed pretty tired lately."

Principal Celestia looked at the pink haired girl in front of her, "If you don't mind me asking, are you and your friends planning on helping Sunset through this tough time?"

Fluttershy nodded, "We were hoping to but I'm not sure if she even wants our help."

The door to the Nurse's office opened nurse Tender Heart stood in the doorway and spoke, "Despite what she may think, Sunset can't handle it all alone."

Fluttershy nodded.

"Please give these back to Sunset." Celestia said, handing the glasses to the nurse.

"Did you talk to her parents?" The Nurse asked.

Celestia glanced at Fluttershy for a brief moment before responding, "Yes, they are still out on business but they will call her later tonight."

It was hard for Celestia to lie to one of her staff members but it is one of the world's necessary evils, especially if your pupils were from an alternate universe.

Soon, Celestia was on her way back to the office, _This is getting to be too much for her. Sunset doesn't deserve this._

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey! Hope you all liked this chapter! Can you see where this story is going yet? We are about half way through this arc! Arc 2 is definitely my favorite so far!**

 **Oh, just so you know how dedicated i am to this story, I, like I said, had this chapter written in advance, and I am currently updating this from my hotel room in another city the night before my hematologist appointment. If you don't know what that is; it's a blood doctor.**

 **Anyway, see you next week!**

 **Later!**


	9. So Many Questions

Nurse Tender Heart stuck to her word and woke Sunset up as soon as the period ended. She was grateful for that, she never liked missing class but she was only missing art so she could make it up on her own time. She probably could have just stayed asleep as she just had gym after art which she couldn't even participate in for the time being but it was a good time to go to the library and get her homework done, especially since she had to work after school.

Principal Celestia had apparently stopped by while she was asleep and dropped off her sunglasses, much to her delight.

She slipped them on, flinching as her hand brushed her cheek, _it definitely left a bruise._

Sunset grabbed her school bag, thankful that someone had grabbed it and headed out the door, waving to Tender Heart as she left.

"Sunset!" A high-pitched voice said as she was tackled in a pink clad hug.

 _What's going on? Why is she hugging me? This feels weird, I'm not sure if I like it. How do I get her to stop?_ Sunset internally panicked.

Luckily, they pulled away before too long, revealing none other than Pinkie Pie and her boundless enthusiasm.

"Are you OK?" She asked, "We were so worried about you! That mean old Gilda was suspended though, so was Trixie actually. Anyway, when I told Mrs. Brush what happened she told me to give you today's assignment for you to do when you have time. You have to have it done by Monday though, but I told her 'Sunset will probably finish it on Saturday because she doesn't leave thing to the last minute' then she told me to have a seat and do my own assignment. Here!" She shoved sheet of paper in Sunset's hand then continued without skipping a beat, "Good thing we were drawing! I mean, it would be pretty awkward to take a huge canvas and art supplies on the bus!"

"Pinkie," Rainbow said as she approached, Rarity and Applejack on her heels, "I think you're scaring her."

Everyone looked to Sunset who pinned herself against the door in an awkward stance eyes wide with fear behind the lenses of her glasses.

 _Someone save me._ Sunset thought, _I don't know what's going on! Was Pinkie trying to be friendly or was it out of concern? Was it both? Could it be both? Wait, why is everyone staring at me?_

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, "Uh. Sunset?"

"Huh?" Sunset snapped herself out of her thoughts.

Rarity stepped forward and went to place a hand on Sunset's shoulder but the other girl flinched away from the hand, "Are you alright, Sunset? You seem…tense."

"What?" Sunset spoke quickly as she inched away, "Yeah! I'm fine! Me? Tense? No, I'm good. Great even. I got to go check in with coach Magnus, bye!"

Sunset ran down, the hall, avoiding the other students and ignoring their glares. She mentally kicked herself for leaving the girls that way but she felt a wave of anxiety wash over her when Pinkie pie hugged her. Sure, when she dated Flash Sentry he hugged her once and that too left her in a flustered state. Those were the only two times in her entire life that she'd been hugged. The Equestrian version of it being nuzzling or putting a hoof over another pony but being so close was foreign to her.

 _I'll have to apologize later._ Sunset sighed, _I don't want to upset the only people that don't hate me._

Sunset checked in with coach Magnus then headed to the library where a wave of relief washed over her as she slumped down in her usual table close to Cheerilee's desk. She cracked open her physics homework and got to work.

She sat in peace for a little over ten minutes before she felt the table shift slightly followed by the sound of chairs being pulled up. Looking up from her work she silently gasped as Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy sat at her table.

"What are you guys doing?" Sunset asked stupidly.

"Sitting down," Rainbow said with a hint of sarcasm, "Obviously."

"Don't you guys have class?" Sunset asked, still stunned.

"Well," Rarity said, gesturing to Rainbow, "My math teacher gave us a study period."

"I just didn't feel like going to History." Rainbow Dash shrugged.

"And I asked Coach Magnus if I could come here instead of playing dodgeball." Fluttershy shuddered.

Sunset looked to Fluttershy, eyes widened, "We have PE together?"

"I'm usually in a corner trying to survive." The pink haired girl blushed a little.

Sunset smirked a little, "OK, but I was asking why are you guys sitting with me? With other people watching."

"Ugh!" Rainbow Dash groaned, "For someone so smart you don't listen do you?"

"We told you earlier," Rarity continued, "We want to help you and give you a genuine chance and hopefully, you will eventually see us as friends."

"Yeah, I remember." Sunset buried her chin in her arms, "I honestly thought I dreamed it."

"Nope!" Rainbow said as she went to rest her arm on Sunset's shoulder but she jerked away, "Uh, I mean, you didn't dream it and until you give our little group a shot, you are stuck with us."

Sunset was silent for a moment to collect her thoughts. These girls were obviously genuine in their proposal and Sunset really did want to give this friendship thing a try. She really wanted to but there was just one matter she wanted to take care of first. Thinking back to what Dr. Horse told her, she might like it. Though, she also wasn't sure if she even deserved it.

It was then that she decided that she would work so that one day she could tell herself that, 'Yes, she does deserve this.'

"OK." Sunset said finally.

"Don't even- wait. Did you say, 'OK'?" Rainbow stared wide eyed.

Sunset nodded, "There is something I really need to do first. I don't think I could live with myself if I left it the way it is."

"What's that?" Asked Fluttershy.

She shook her head, "I want Applejack and Pinkie Pie to hear this too."

"Well alright then," Rarity smiled brightly, "I will text the others, we can meet a Sugar Cube corner after school!"

Sunset was about to agree but remembered something important, "I actually can't today." Sunset sighed, "I have to go to work after school."

Rarity thought for a moment then an idea popped in her head, "Unlock your phone and give it to me."

"What?" Sunset questioned, gripping said device in her pocket.

"Relax, Sunset, darling." Rarity said, "I will return it in a moment."

Sunset reluctantly did as she was told, unlocking her phone and passing it across the table to Rarity. The girl snatched it immediately and started messing around on the device. Sunset watched nervously for several moments before Rarity handed it back to her.

Sunset looked at the screen and saw that Rarity had added the five girls as contacts. She looked up questionably at the pale girl.

"If you are free this Saturday, just text me." Rarity said, "Then we can plan a time to meet."

"Uh, OK." Sunset nodded.

Rarity fiddled on her own phone for a moment before Sunset, Rainbow and Fluttershy all got a text message. It was a message which was sent through a group chat where Rarity had texted, 'Hello all!'

Applejack had responded immediately.

AJ: 'Hey there, we in a group chat now?'

Rarity: 'Yes we r!'

AJ: 'Who is this other number?'

Pinkie: 'It's Sunset silly!'

RD: 'How did you know that?'

Pinkie: 'Who else would it be?'

` It continued like that for a while before Sunset turned her phone off. The rest of the period, the three girls talked while Sunset did some of her homework, responding only when she needed to.

When the bell rang, Sunset and the other's left the library. Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy making a point to walk with her, again, meeting the glares and comments with their own. Once she got to her locker she gave a nervous smile to the girl before quickly grabbing her stuff and heading to the bus.

She sat in her usual seat and sighed in relief. That relief didn't last long as she'd expected.

"Mind if I sit with ya?" An unmistakable country drawl asked.

Sunset looked up to see Applejack standing in the isle next to her seat, "Uh, sure." She said, putting her bag in her lap so Applejack could take a seat.

Applejack smiled nervously and sat down, "Thanks."

"So, I thought the shuttle usually took you home." Sunset said after a few awkward moments of silence.

"I work at the smoothie place at the mall." She explained, "You work at the Sushi place, right?"

Sunset nodded but then questioned, "I thought you worked at your family's farm."

She laughed, "Yes, but there isn't much farmin' to do in the winter. Plus, I don't really get paid for farm chores."

Sunset nodded in understanding, "Yeah, Celestia didn't pay me much for doing stuff around the castle." She frowned, "But I was only a filly back then."

Applejack saw the look on Sunset's face but chose to keep the conversation light, "I keep forgettin' you used to be a pony."

"Unicorn actually." She smiled.

Applejack laughed and soon Sunset did too. The country girl pressed a button on the wall and within moments, the bus stopped in front of the mall. Both girls thanked the driver and got off the bus. Sunset shivered as a cold breeze made it through her sweater. Applejack however, was comfy in her warm fall jacket.

"It's going to start snowin' soon." She said as they entered the building.

"Ugh, I hate the winter." Sunset admitted, "It's nothing but cold and it's just a miserable season."

Applejack raised an eyebrow, "Now what exactly do you mean by that? Winter is bushels of fun!"

She shrugged, "I don't know, I've never really experienced any of the 'fun' stuff. I've either been working, studying or…plotting."

"Well," Applejack said, "When it does snow, and if you stop avoidin' us, maybe we can change your view on it."

Sunset couldn't help but smile at her, "I might just take you up on that."

Applejack smiled back at her as they came to the smoothie place in the food court, "Well, this is me! Have a good night."

Sunset kept walking after she waved to the other girl, _It was actually really nice just talking with someone. It was so natural, I forgot what I was worried about in the first place. This 'friendship' thing might not be so bad._


	10. First Meeting

Sunset was woken up early but the incessant vibrating of her phone over on the desk. She groaned and tried to block out the sound with her pillow but eventually, her ringtone joined in the racket. Once it stopped, she tried to go back to sleep but by that point, she was already awake. Groaning, she rolled off of the cot and walked over to grab the now annoying, device.

She shivered as the cold air reached her skin, _feels like I'll have to add some blankets on my cot or I'll freeze to death._

After grabbing herself her thick, magenta sweater from her suitcase, she curled back up in the blankets and checked her phone. There were a lot of messages from the group chat Rarity had created plus a couple messages, and the call from Rarity specifically. Sunset read the messages and though there was some random conversation, most of it was the girls trying to get a hold of her.

Her phone rang again, making Sunset jump a little as Rarity's number popped up on her screen, _What do I do? Well, answer of course, but I don't know if I'm ready for a phone call. Is that what friends do? Do they just randomly call and text each other?_

Before she could really dwell on the repercussions of it, she hit the answer button, "Uh, Hello?

"Sunset, darling!" Rarity greeted, "We were all trying to get a hold of you!"

"I can see that." Sunset replied flatly, "I _was_ asleep." Nervous or not, Sunset did not like to be woken up.

"Oh, I'm sorry to have woken you up." Rarity said genuinely, "Do you want me to phone back later?"

Sunset sighed into the phone, "No, it's fine, I'm awake now. What's going on?"

"Yesterday, you said you wanted to talk to all of us." Rarity explained, "You know, before you started to give this friendship thing a shot."

Then it clicked in Sunset's brain, "Oh! Right! Sorry, my brain doesn't really work after I just wake up. That would be great."

"So, you're free today I presume?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, I have nothing going on." Sunset agreed.

"Fabulous. How does two O'clock sound?" the British girl asked.

Sunset pulled her phone away from her ear long enough to check the time, "Yeah that works for me."

"Wonderful! We will see you then." Rarity said happily.

"Rarity!" Sunset said quickly before the other girl hung up, "Thanks."

"You're very welcome, Sunset." Then she hung up the phone.

After that, Sunset smiled to herself as Rarity messaged in the group chat the time and place along with a short explanation of why they were all meeting. Sunset went about getting ready for the day. After getting dressed, she slipped the magenta sweater back over her head, her cutie mark on the cuff of the right sleeve with her name written just above it in a light orange.

Sunset glanced at her phone clock after she finished brushing her teeth and saw it was just past noon. So, because she had time to kill, she went ahead and finished her homework for the weekend. She knew she wasn't stupid, no, in fact she was smarter than most people. Sadly, that knowledge had been one of the many factors that lead her down the path she'd been on.

It didn't take long to finish up, most of it had to do with math and that just so happened to be her best subject. She looked at the time and realized she still had over an hour until she was meant to meet the others. Deciding to walk to Sugar Cube Corner to kill time, she grabbed her wallet, keys and backpack, shoving a book she was reading inside, just in case.

After locking up the building, she headed on her way. She was thankful for the heavier sweater but also missed the warmth of her leather jacket after having left the torn accessory in her locker, no longer having a use for it but also not having the heart to get rid of it. Her and that jacket had been through a lot. It was the very same jacket she'd come through the portal with. Why it had been so big on her back then she wasn't sure, but she was happy she was able to grow into it.

The closer she got to Sugar Cube Corner the more nervous she became. About a block and a half away, she stopped dead in her tracks. Honestly, she was surprised she'd even made it this far without panicking.

 _What am I even thinking, going through with this?_ She went into panic mode, _What am I going to say 'sorry for being a horrible person to you and for ruining your friendship. Please forgive me.'? I should at least apologize for breaking up their friendship, though. But what if that isn't good enough? What if this is just a ploy for payback? I wouldn't blame them. I would have done the same thing! Why is this so vexing?_ Sunset took a deep breath to calm herself, _I'm just getting inside my own head. None of them are like that, I would know. Rainbow might try something but not without consulting her friends._

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Sunset said out loud, "If this blows up in my face, it's my own fault. I'd deserve it."

Reluctantly, Sunset kept walking.

As Sugar Cube Corner came into view Sunset gulped. _Nope, I can't do this. I should go back to my place._ She kept walking towards the building, _No, I can't run away from my problems. I want to do this! I_ _ **need**_ _to do this if I want to make a genuine effort at this._

Upon walking into the building, Sunset's nose was assaulted by the sweet smell of fresh baked goods and various coffees and teas.

Mrs. Cake smiled as she saw her, "Good morning, Sunset! How are you today? I don't usually see you on weekends."

Sunset liked Mrs. Cake and she had been one of the first people to notice a change in her, even before the formal. Mr. and Mrs. Cake even knew of Sunset being a bully but they never truly believed her until after that night. Since then, she had spent most of her evenings at Sugar Cube Corner.

"Morning." Sunset greeted with a small smile, "Today, I have something important to do."

"Oh?" she asked, "And what might that be?"

"I have some people to make amends with." Sunset admitted, "They're supposed to meet me here."

"Well good for you!" She smiled warmly, "Would one of them be Pinkie Pie by any chance?"

Sunset raised a confused eyebrow, "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"She came in here about half an hour ago going on about how she was so excited about getting to know 'a new friend'." Mrs. Cake put a finger to her chin, "Actually, I think you might be the person she's been going on about all week."

Sunset giggled, "That's Pinkie Pie for you."

Mrs. Cake smiled but then turned serious, "I guess it's true about where you got that cut on your head and bruise on your cheek then."

Sunset put her hand over her bruise, "Yeah."

"Well, if I know Pinkie and her friends," She smiled, "That will be the last time."

Sunset smiled brightly, "Yeah, thanks. I don't think my body can take much more abuse."

"They're in the back-corner booth." Mrs. Cake said as she left, "Good luck!"

With that Sunset walked to the back of the café and saw all five girls sitting and talking.

 _Here goes nothing._


	11. Apologies

Pinkie was the first to notice her arrival, "Oh my gosh! Sunset! You actually came! We were starting to think you backed out!"

"Sorry." Sunset apologized, "I was talking with Mrs. Cake."

Pinkie got up and dragged Sunset to the booth, shoving her in next to Fluttershy then slid in on her other side.

Fluttershy gave her a small smile which Sunset returned nervously. "We're so happy you could make it." She greeted.

"Yeah, uh, thanks." Sunset said.

"Pay up Rainbow!" Applejack said suddenly.

Rainbow Dash groaned, digging out her wallet and gave Applejack a twenty, "Yeah, whatever." the multi-colored girl slumped in her seat.

"Wait." Sunset looked at Applejack, "Did you bet on whether or not I'd come?"

Applejack nodded, "Well, you see, Dash here thought you would be too scared to show up, probably thinkin' this was some sort of trap and I told her you would show up considerin' I have a pretty good idea as to why you wanted to talk to all of us at once."

Sunset blinked, "Well she was right about the whole, 'scared this was a trap' thing but to be honest, I can only see that as something Rainbow _might_ think of doing but then I thought about it and figured, none of you would let that happen." Sunset looked to Rainbow and her eyes widened upon realizing the nature of what she'd just accused her of, "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Hey!" Rainbow cut her off, "You're probably not wrong but the stunts _I_ pull are well thought out pranks. All in good fun."

"Anyway," Rarity cut in, "Sunset, what is it that you wanted to talk about with all of us?"

 _Well, here it is. The moment of truth. If I don't do it now, I probably never will._ Sunset thought to herself.

She took a deep breath and just let everything flow out without her usual buffers. "So, I really wanted to talk to you all at the same time because I was afraid I would lose my nerve. I wanted to apologize, for everything. I hate who I am, or was, and by the time I figured out I wanted to change how I was acting, I was in too deep and ended up crossing through the portal to steal the crown like I had planned. So, for starters, I'm sorry for my actions at the formal, I wasn't kidding yesterday when I told you I could have killed you." She clenched her hand together and gritted her teeth. "I hate myself for that.

"Sunset…" Rarity said in a soft voice but Sunset didn't let her continue.

"No, Rarity, I need to do this properly." Sunset said adamantly. Rarity simply sat back and nodded. Sunset looked to her right at Pinkie who was making a tower with the sugar packets, "Pinkie Pie, I'm sorry about all the times I made you decorate for the dances and school functions yourself. Also for all the times that I had Snips and Snails destroy your decorations." She didn't wait for a response before looking at Fluttershy, "I really am sorry about your silent auction last year. I know it was Pinkie who brought the party but it was me who sent those messages. I'm also sorry for all the times I screamed at you for no reason. I know you're sensitive and it was horrible of me to feed more of your insecurities."

Fluttershy went to put a hand on the other girl's shoulder and she jerked away, surprising the shy girl.

Continuing the circle, she looked to Rainbow Dash along with Fluttershy, "I'm especially sorry for pulling you two apart. If I remember right; you two grew up together and have been friends long before I came to this world. It was how close you were that made me kind of angry and jealous. I didn't really have any close friends, I think the only good friend I had was Princess Celestia but she was just my mentor. I'm really sorry for doing that to you guys. I also feel really bad about when I greased the field and you broke your leg Rainbow Dash."

"Are you kidding?" Rainbow said excitedly, "After that my Dad bought me the entire collection of Daring Do _and_ the Rise of Tireck game I had been asking for! That was the best thing that ever happened to me! I should be _thanking_ you."

"But didn't you have to sit on the bench for the entire last year of middle school?" Sunset asked.

Rainbow shrugged, "Worth it."

"Uh... OK then." Sunset shook her head then continued on, "Anyway, Applejack, Rainbow, I'm sorry for splitting up you guys too. I actually don't even know why I did it." She frowned and looked to Rarity, "Rarity, out of the five of you, I probably wronged you the most. Last spring, I completely obliterated your reputation." She said sourly, "That and I had just separated you and your friends so you were already feeling like crap and I made sure to kick you while you were down. I really am sorry, to all of you." Sunset buried her head in her arms, "I'm a horrible person." .

"Why don't you like to be touched?" Rarity asked out of nowhere.

"Huh?" Sunset shifted her head to look at the purple haired girl.

"Whenever any of us try to touch you, you pull away." She explained.

"Oh, I guess I didn't notice, it's a reflex." Sunset said, "I'm not used to being hugged or have someone offer me comfort through touch. I've been hit and shoved but nothing really all that…" Sunset searched for a word, "Warm."

Pinkie Pie changed the subject like she just had a epiphany, "You're not a horrible person, Sunset!"

Sunset was now confused, lifting her head up to the hyper girl, "What?"

"You aren't a horrible person right _now_! You were a huge big meanie McMeanie pants last year and the two weeks leading up to the formal but that isn't who you are now, right?"

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash added, "You haven't even fought back on the other kids bullying _you_. Honestly, you aren't even acting like the same person! You are totally different!"

"Sorry to interrupt," All eyes went to Mrs. Cake, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation and I'd like to say, Sunset has always been this nice and caring when I've seen her since she came in here…three or four years ago."

Sunset felt herself blush as the other girls looked at her with wide eyes.

"Sunset's _always_ been nice?" Rainbow smacked her cheeks, "I'm not buying it."

"Now none of that." Mrs. Cake scolded, "Both Sunset and Principal Celestia are regulars here. Celestia is a friend of mine actually, so I hear of Sunset's bullying ways from both of them but that's never been the person I've seen."

"Wait," Sunset said in a surprised tone, "You've talked to Principal Celestia about me?"

The woman nodded, "I'll talk to you about that later. Now, what would you ladies like to order?"

Once Mrs. Cake left with their orders, attention turned back to the fiery haired girl.

"Well," Applejack said after a long moment of silence, "I have absolutely no words for this here discovery."

"So you were only, for lack of a better word, cruel, to your classmates?" Rarity asked.

Sunset shrugged, "Apparently, I never really noticed. I was cruel as a way to control people and get what I wanted. There was never really a reason to be that way otherwise. Honestly, it was kind of exhausting."

"But I've seen you yell at random people at the mall." Rainbow questioned.

"Look, I do have bad days where I'm rude to everyone." Sunset admitted, "But I also have a short fuse and sometimes I just explode. Most of the time I don't mean to tell random people off."

They all nodded, satisfied with Sunset's response.

"You know," Sunset spoke, "I never thought in a millennium, I would be having an honest conversation with you five. Thanks again for letting me get that stuff off my chest."

"It was our pleasure, Sunset." Rarity smiled, "When you asked to meet, I never expected you to come right out and apologize."

"But we're glad you did." Fluttershy spoke.

Sunset smiled slightly, "Me too."

"So, does this mean we can hang out now?" Rainbow asked excitedly, "I've seen you in gym class, you have got some moves! I want to play a little one on one!"

"Oh! I should throw a party!" Pinkie said, "When's your birthday? Do you celebrate Christmas? Or do you prefer Hanukkah or Kwanzaa? Wait, do you even like parties? Oh my gosh! What if I threw you a party and you don't even like parties. WAIT!" She yelled, "Have you ever been to a party?"

It took a minute for Sunset to formulate a response, "I don't celebrate my birthday, I guess Christmas, I've been to one party in my entire life and I did like it…I think."

"Woah, woah, woah," Rainbow said, "You don't celebrate your birthday?"

Sunset shook her head, "Nope. Not in the last seven years at least."

"But why?" she asked.

"Because there was never any point." Sunset said, "Look, the last birthday I celebrated was with my parents the year before I became Celestia's student. I didn't really care about birthday for the year after, in fact, I didn't even notice my birthday had passed until the morning after. For the rest, I was here. What's the point in celebrating your birth if there isn't anyone who cares that you were born?"

"That's really sad." Fluttershy said, "What about your family?"

"On the other side of the portal and I doubt they care that I'm even gone. I wasn't exactly the child they had always wanted. I did everything I could to get out of there." Sunset said with a frown.

The group went silent before Rarity spoke, "Enough with the touchy subjects, I'm sure she will share once she's ready. How about the basics?"

"What do you want to know?" Sunset asked.

Mrs. Cake returned shortly after with their drinks as they continued talking, the woman giving Sunset a 'I told you so' wink. Sunset smiled as she talked to the girls and got to know them for not just their flaws but out of genuine interest.


	12. Location

It was Sunday afternoon in Celestia and Luna's home. Celestia was sitting on the couch, reading a book waiting for her sister finally roll out of bed. The younger sister, much like a teenager, had a habit of staying up all night playing her video games and sleeping well past noon on weekends. However, Celestia was a morning person so she couldn't complain. Also, her sister was a groan woman and didn't need her to wake her up.

Unlike most mornings where Luna sluggishly came down stairs, she ran down quickly and located the older sister.

"What's Sunset Shimmer's address?" Luna asked, a slightly panicked expression on her face.

"Why? Did something happen?" Celestia asked, starting to sound concerned herself.

"What? No." Luna shook her head, "I just have this feeling that it's not where she says she lives."

"OK?" Celestia was still confused.

"I woke up thinking about it and I remembered that legally, people cannot rent an apartment or room to anyone under the age of sixteen without parental consent." Luna explained.

"But Sunset's been in this world since she was 10." Celestia started to click the pieces in place, "And she wouldn't have had any ID when she came here."

"So," Luna looked at her sister, "Where has she been staying?"

"I highly doubt she moved from where she's been staying. Actually, I think she's still fifteen." Celestia said out loud, "and we know she lives alone…or does she?"

"We need to investigate." Luna said finally.

"Agreed, go get some clothes on. We can stop for coffee before we go."

"And a jalapeno and cheese bagel?" Luna squinted her eyes in mock suspicion.

Celestia rolled her eyes, "Yes, that too."

Luna ran upstairs to get ready while Celestia pulled on her shoes and jacket, having already gotten dressed for the day. Just as she was doing up her jacket buttons, Luna came bounding down the stairs, throwing on her sneakers and jacket before grabbing the keys and threw them at her sister.

"You're driving!" the dark-haired woman said before walking out the door, followed by her sister who rolled her eyes.

They drove in silence to Sugar Cube Corner, getting out of the car upon arrival.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Cake." Celestia greeted, "How is your day going?"

"Wonderful, thank you." The pink and blue woman smiled. "What can I get you two this morning?"

"Just orange pekoe for me, please." Celestia said.

Luna leaned on the counter to stare into the woman's soul, "The bagel king and a coffee, please."

Mrs. Cake giggled, "You never change Luna. You eating in?"

"Sure, we have time." Celestia said. _It's not like Sunset's going anywhere._

"Coming right up." The woman said.

Celestia and Luna sat at their usual table until Mrs. Cake brought their drinks and Luna's 'King bagel.'"

"So, what are you ladies planning today?" asked Mrs. Cake.

"We are going to see what Sunset Shimmer's living situation is." Luna said frankly.

"Oh?" Mrs. Cake questioned.

Celestia shot her sister a look, "Yes, her parents are never in town. We are concerned that she isn't getting the attention she needs."

Mrs. Cake placed a finger to her cheek, "Sunset was actually just in here yesterday. She was meeting with Pinkie Pie and her friends."

"Oh?" Luna asked, "That's…odd. She's been avoiding them all week."

Mrs. Cake continued, "Apparently, it was Sunset's Idea. She apologized to all five of them. After that, they were here for hours just talking as if nothing had happened."

"Really..." Celestia said thoughtfully, "I'm happy that she's finally letting them in. Those girls have been trying to befriend her all week. Especially after two of my students beat her."

"Yes, I saw the bruise." Mrs. Cake frowned, "She acted as if it were nothing. Sunset reminds me of you two, bullies with a heart of gold. That does concern me though. I've seen the same thing happen before."

"Yes," Luna said, "It seems that way. Tia and I are keeping an eye on the situation. It doesn't help not having anyone to support her at home though."

"Yes," Celestia added, "I honestly don't trust that girl to be alone with her own thoughts at a time like this."

"Well, I'm glad she's got you two looking out for her well-being." Mrs. Cake smiled, "And it seems like she's got five new friends to support her as well."

It was silent for a couple moments before Mrs. Cake excused herself, waving a goodbye to the educators.

"We should get going." Luna said as she finished her bagel.

Celestia nodded her agreement and they hopped into the car, punching in the address from Sunset's student file into the GPS then pulling out of the parking lot.

They pulled up to a dingy looking apartment building set between a pizza delivery joint and a cluster of abandoned buildings. They both got out of the car and entered the apartment. As expected, it was pretty unsanitary but they both knew that it was probably dirt cheap, well within a high schooler's budget.

They climbed the stairs to the third floor and searched for the number on the door. Once they found it, Celestia knocked then stepped back to stand with her sister.

A young man, most likely a college student, opened the door, "Uh, can I help you?"

"Yes," Celestia replied, "Do you know a Sunset Shimmer?"

"No, can't say I do." The man replied.

The lightly colored woman sighed, "Yes, that's what I thought. Thank you for your time."

He smiled, "Sorry I can't help you. Now if you excuse me, I have to study for my exams. Have a nice rest of your day."

The boy shut the door and the two educators started back down the stairs.

"Just as we thought." Luna said solemnly, "What now?"

"Well, I guess I will have to talk to her tomorrow." Celestia said.

"Unless…" Luna said as they exited the building.

"Unless what?"

"I have a hunch." Luna said, "If she faked her address, and if she's anything like the two of us, she'd want to know if someone was looking for her. So, she'd want to be close enough to see but far enough that she could make a quick escape."

"You watch too many movies." Celestia said, "But it's all we have."

Luna shrugged, "Besides, I've been to this particular cluster before."

Celestia followed her sister around the building into the alleyway and started passing by the abandoned buildings. That's when they saw something peculiar, a long extension cord hanging out of a third story building. It was difficult to see because The wall had some pretty impressive graffiti that covered most of the cord as well. They followed the cord to see it was plugged into the back of the pizza joint, mostly hidden by a big blue garbage bin.

They walked back to the graffitied wall and looked up to see a fire escape attached to the side of the building. Standing back a bit, they could see a desk with an unmistakable mane of red and yellow hair.

"Oh, Sunset." Celestia gasped quietly.

Luna saw the look in her sister's eyes so she lead her older sibling to car, this time hopping into the driver's seat and starting the car.

"Luna, we can't just leave her there!" Celestia protested.

"I am aware of that sister, but what do you suppose we do about it?" Luna asked, "We can't force her to do anything about it. We've both seen how stubborn she is, do you really think she will go forcefully if we just went up there? Besides, she's been there since she came here six years ago, I'm pretty sure she's fine there for now."

"It still doesn't feel right." Celestia pouted.

"Yes, I know." Luna pulled over into a random parking lot, "The only way we can help right now is to provide the adult support she needs, in school." She sighed, "Don't get me wrong, Tia, I want to help her too but the truth is, we know nothing about her."

"Then let's get to know her." Celestia said, "And you're right, she's survived this long on her own."

"Right." Luna nodded, starting the car again, "Tomorrow, we can talk with her."

"Right."

With that said and done, they returned home to enjoy the rest of their evening, though their thoughts never strayed too far from the flame haired girl.


	13. Terms

By the time Monday morning rolled around, Sunset felt a lot better about going back to school. She was finally able to kick the headache from her concussion; meaning she didn't have to sit out of gym again, though she did enjoy the quiet of the library. She had finished her art project on Sunday so she was good to go. However, it wasn't any of those things that made her feel at ease, it was the five girls that had promised to look out for her.

During their get together, they all got to know Sunset, and Sunset got to know each of the girls a little better as well. She learned that Rainbow Dash enjoyed Daring Do books as well, but Rainbow was way more of a fangirl than she was. Fluttershy was also a vegetarian and was really good at sewing. Pinkie Pie, well, is Pinkie Pie. Applejack was also pretty straightforward and so was Rarity but there were a lot of little tidbits Sunset found interesting to know.

The thing that got her was that all the things they were sharing; was in complete confidence. Sunset could easily take all that information and crush them with it but she couldn't bear to bring herself to even entertain the idea. If she was being honest with herself, she had been incredibly lonely in the time she had been in this world and she was tired of it. Maybe accepting friendship was her way out.

As Sunset walked up to the school from the bus stop, she saw Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy hanging out by the Canterlot High statue. Rainbow was kicking around a hacky-sack, Fluttershy was scribbling in her note book and Pinkie Pie seemed to be looking for someone, scanning the grounds of students arriving early with such a serious look on her face it was almost ridiculous. It was then that Pinkie's gaze rested on Sunset.

The pink haired girl smiled and ran in her direction, "Sunset! I've scanned the perimeter for Gilda and Trixie," her expression was serious before she gave a triumphant smirk, "The coast is clear."

Sunset rolled her eyes but smiled at the gesture, "Thanks Pinkie, I appreciate it. Though I doubt they would be here, they're suspended."

"I told you." Rainbow said as they reached the statue.

"Well you never know." Fluttershy spoke, "Gilda doesn't seem like she would listen to authority."

"Well," Sunset added, "She is transferring to Crystal Prep. I doubt she'd even want to come back here, even just to get even."

"If she does, we've got your back now that you aren't avoiding us." Rainbow said, still kicking the sac around.

Sunset smiled and mumbled a quick 'thanks' as pinkie hopped up to the statue and continued her 'look out'.

The fiery haired girl weighed her options carefully, _What do I do now? Do I stay? Or do I continue going into the school? Would they think I'm avoiding them if I keep going?_

Luckily, she didn't have to fret over it for more than a moment because Fluttershy caught her attention.

"Hey, Sunset," The quiet girl spoke, "Do you like animals?"

Sunset mentally thanked her and smiled, "Yeah, actually, I do."

"You want to see some pictures of the animals we have at the shelter?" the girl held up her phone with its green case with three butterflies on the front.

Sunset nodded and sat next to the animal lover as she showed her the pictures, even explaining how some of them came to be at the shelter in the first place. It broke the former bully's heart to hear the stories of abused animals, ones whose owners died or even as simple as strays being found on their last legs.

Eventually, Applejack and Rarity joined them and struck up conversations with Sunset. They were all feeling relieved that Sunset had loosened up significantly since their meeting on Saturday.

The six girls made their way into the school and to their lockers before class started.

Celestia watched Sunset walk to her first period class alone, having split apart from the other five as they had classes of their own to get to. Sunset held her books tightly to her chest, keeping cyan eyes trained to the ground.

She had returned to her office shortly after and tried to occupy her mind with the paperwork she had to do but sadly, it did little to help. Celestia was impatiently awaiting third period where she would have her conversation with Sunset.

It broke her heart to learn of Sunset's living conditions but as Luna had pointed out to her, Sunset needed to tell her on her own accord. However, with that said, not only was her living situation depressing, it was also illegal, not to mention dangerous. That building had been abandoned since _she_ was a teenager.

By the time Lunch rolled around, Celestia was impatient so, about ten minutes before the lunch period ended, she had the secretary call Sunset down to her office. Before she knew it, there was a small knock on her office door.

"Come in." She said, now fully composed.

Sunset poked her head in, a nervous expression on her face, "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, Sunset, have a seat." Celestia ordered in her automatic Principal voice.

 _Relax Celestia, you acting like she's in trouble._ Celestia mentally kicked herself.

Sunset awkwardly sat in one of the chairs across from the large oak desk, now entirely composed, but Celestia could see that the girl was incredibly tense despite her effort to hide it.

"Relax, Sunset." Celestia lowered her voice to a more soothing one, "You aren't in trouble. I just wanted to talk."

That did, in fact seem to get her to relax. She leaned back into the chair and instantly dropped her composed look, now looking at the woman with a calmer but still blank expression. Celestia smiled.

"So," Sunset asked after a moment of silence, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I was just wondering how you were adjusting." She asked, and immediately regretted her choice of words.

Sunset frowned, "Fine I guess. You know, besides most of the student body hating me."

Celestia sighed deeply, "I'm sorry, that was a very poor choice of words. I was more talking about Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack. I saw you girls in the courtyard this morning. They've also seemed to have stuck close to you since returning to classes when your suspension ended."

Sunset smiled at this, "Yeah. I kind of feel bad for avoiding them most of the time."

"But you six are fine now?" She questioned though very well knowing the answer.

The girl nodded, "Yeah, I think I'm going to give this 'friendship' thing a try."

"That's wonderful to hear." Celestia smiled then opened her desk drawer and retrieved a folder, placing it in front of Sunset, "Go ahead, look inside."

Sunset opened the file and quickly figured out that it was her student file; transcripts, contact information, grades, etc. It didn't take long for her to realize something was missing.

"Where's my record of misconduct?" she asked the Principal immediately after scanning the contents.

Celestia smiled at how fast she picked up on what was missing.

The Principal held up a stack of papers, "This is yours, Snips and Snails records, including this past suspension."

"Why did you take them out?" Sunset asked, perplexed.

"Sunset, you have been given a bad hand and despite what you may think, Me, vice-principal Luna and your new friends see your potential." Celestia explained, "When I first met you, I saw you for what you were, a bitter teenager with a bad attitude." Sunset frowned. "But I also saw what was hidden, what you _could_ be, I saw the compassion and sincerity deep inside you, clouded by all that ill placed ambition." Celestia looked as Sunset stared at the floor, brows furrowed, "It took a lot but I can tell you've finally started to realize that hidden potential for yourself."

"That doesn't explain why you have the papers." Sunset said, unsure of Celestia's words.

"Like I said, you've been dealt a bad hand in the past but now you are trying to change your ways. I also understand most of what is on Snips and Snails records are things they've done under your instruction." Celestia placed the three individual files in a row in front of Sunset, "The thing about these records is that they don't acknowledge change or growth, they only see the negative and unfortunately, it follows you until the end of collage."

"Ok, I'm lost." Sunset admitted.

"Do you really want to change, Sunset? Are you really trying to be a better you?" Celestia asked seriously.

Sunset's expression turned to one of determination, "Yes, I really do. I was a horrible person and I don't want to be her anymore. I don't want to keep hurting people."

Celestia reached under her desk and set her paper shredder on top, "Then I think you deserve a fresh start. In the eyes of the school at least. I'm not going to let your past mistakes ruin the bright future you have ahead of you. I'm also not going to let you carry the guilt of Snips and Snails's past...transgressions." She sighed, "Though I don't think that will help them much."

"Wait. Are you serious? You're just willing to let all that go?" Sunset asked dumb founded, "Aren't you going to get in trouble?"

Celestia shrugged, "No one ever said I couldn't."

Principal Celestia gestured for Sunset to shred the documents just as the door burst open, revealing the dark haired Vice-Principal.

"You're actually going through with it?" Luna said excitedly with a smile that Sunset has never seen on the Vice-Principal. It was almost...childlike.

"Yes, I informed you that I was." Celestia addressed her sister.

"Oh, I _have_ to see this!" Luna closed the door and stood by the desk.

Sunset stared, confused.

Celestia sighed, "Vice-Principal Luna likes to break the rules."

"Yes, Yes." Luna waved off her sister, "Now shred them!"

Sunset chuckled a bit and picked up Snips's document and turned on the shredder, then let the pages go. Next, she sent Snails's and watched that go through as well. It felt as if the weight of a thousand moons was lifted off her shoulders.

She then picked up her own file. Sunset frowned and opened it up, looking through all her past deeds and mistakes. Unlike Snips and Snails, she shredded each page of hers individually. She remembered every single instance and watched them go through the shredder. Finally, the final page was from the fall formal. Of course, it didn't say anything about a raging she-demon, Celestia had changed it to fireworks and nothing about destroying the school.

"Can I, uh keep this one?" Sunset asked.

"Yes, but may I ask why?" Celestia asked, exchanging confused looks with her sister.

Sunset took a deep breath, "Everything that I've done in my entire life had lead me to that single defining moment and ultimately, it showed me what I had become, what was in my heart. I hate myself for that." The girl was shaking in anger, tears forming in her eyes, "I can't let myself be pardoned from this because I don't deserve to be." She relaxed a little, "Not yet at least."

"I understand." Celestia nodded, "Keep it until you feel you need to."

Sunset folded the paper up and tenderly put it in her bag as Celestia returned the paper shredder to its spot under her desk. Luna waved her goodbyes and left the office.

"There was another thing I would like to discuss with you." Celestia said.

"OK, I'm listening." Sunset said.

"There is the issue of your living situation." Celestia started, having no intent on telling Sunset that she had found out her real living quarters.

Sunset froze but stayed silent.

"I am not an unfair woman but I don't think a child should be living alone." Celestia explained, "However, you are a special case and I understand why you do not wish for anyone to know of your residence."

Sunset sighed in relief, "Thank you, I-"

"I'm not finished," Celestia interrupted, "I have a few conditions. In case anything does happen with schooling or otherwise, I need a way of contacting you or vice versa. I understand that your friends all have your number and they would be happy to help if you need it, but you need an adult that can be contacted if the need should arise."

Sunset stared in either awe or shock but she said nothing.

"Secondly," the Principal continued, "I know I might be crossing some sort of line between the student-principal relationship in saying this but I believe counseling would be in your best interest."

"I don't need a counselor." Sunset protested, "Besides what would I tell them? I couldn't even remotely talk about my past! I know you, and Vice-Principal Luna know, along with the girls, but if the wrong people know I could be taken away by the government and have weird experiments done on me or I could be probed! Probed! I have no idea what that is but it doesn't exactly sound like fun!"

At this point Sunset was in a full out panic so Celestia interjected, "Sunset, relax. I've thought of that. Now, I used to be a school counselor and I'm willing to make time in my schedule for this period every day if you need it."

Sunset calmed down and thought on this. It's not like she felt particularly uncomfortable talking to the woman, being her former mentor's counterpart helped a little but she found this Celestia more compassionate and easier to talk to than her Celestia. Heck, she's already had two heart-to-heart conversations with her in the last couple weeks.

 _Besides, being able to talk to someone might be nice._ Sunset thought.

"Do you have a pen and a piece of paper?" asked Sunset.

Celestia set a pen and pad of sticky notes in front of Sunset who scribbled her cellphone number on it and handed them back to Celestia.

"Thank you." Sunset said, running her fingers through her hair, "For actually caring about what happens to me."

The principal smiled at her student, "I care about all my students, Sunset. You just happen to be the one who needs it most."

After a few more minutes of talking, Sunset said a quick goodbye and left for the library as it was her day two spare.

Luna came into her sister's office after watching Sunset leave, "So? How did it go?"

Celestia sighed and smiled, "She agreed to my terms."

"Don't go getting too attached." Luna snickered, "That's why Mom banned you from the shelter after you brought home that bird."

"And Philomena lived longer than expected for an avian." Celestia protested, "I took great care of her!"

Luna smirked, "That's what I'm afraid of."


	14. The Shelter

After school, Sunset was on the way home when Fluttershy stopped her at the Wonder Colt statue.

"Hello, Sunset." She said shyly, "I was… Well I- I was wondering if… Since you told me you like animals ... I wanted to…" She sighed and hung her head slightly, "You know what, never mind, you'll probably say no anyway."

The shy girl frowned and stared at the ground. Sunset furrowed her brows. Yes, she knew Fluttershy was uncomfortable with asking things of people, her especially, but the last thing she wanted was for Fluttershy to be afraid of her…again.

"It's OK, Fluttershy. It can't hurt to ask." Sunset flashed her a reassuring smile.

The fact that Sunset was actually making an effort gave Fluttershy a little more confidence in the other girl's answer, "Do you…I mean, if you're free… maybe, want to help me at the shelter today? I know we just became friends and all but this morning you were fawning over the pictures I had so I thought-"

"I'd love to." Sunset smiled brightly.

"OK I understand…" Fluttershy' eyes widened, "Really?"

Sunset shrugged, but kept her smile, "Sure! I don't see why not. I'm not doing anything and I thought they all looked adorable."

Fluttershy beamed and grabbed Sunset's arm, heading towards town, "Oh my goodness, this is going to be so much fun! I don't have friends to help me very often. Don't get me wrong, they help when they can but Rainbow Dash is slightly allergic to dander, AJ has the farm, Rarity helps when she's not working and Pinkie Pie…" she giggled, "Tries to impersonate them."

"Well I'm happy to help." Sunset said, "I've been to the shelter a lot in the winter when I find strays. I don't like seeing animals miserable when I can do something." Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, causing Sunset to look at the ground and frown, "Yeah I get it, absurd coming from me."

Fluttershy waved her hands out in front of her, "No that's not it, I've seen you out of school a few times and you never seemed like the horrible bully you were at school, no offence."

She sighed, "None taken."

"Anyway," Fluttershy continued, "I always hid from you, especially at the shelter but if I'm being honest, you were never really as bad as everyone is leading on."

They walked in silence other than the odd small talk until they made it to the animal shelter. They entered the creme colored building and moved behind the counter to the back area. Sunset was silent as Fluttershy went to fetch the head veterinarian. The pony-turned-human stared at the ground with a blank expression as Fluttershy's words sank in.

To Sunset, others saying she wasn't as bad as people think was just as outlandish and idea as saying she was in some sort of fan fiction where the writer would put her through this misery for fun. Absolutely ridiculous and highly unlikely.

Sunset was snapped out of her thoughts when a tall woman entered the room. She had a head of graying sky-blue hair and pale orange-green skin.

"Sunset?" She looked at the other teen quizzically, "What are you doing here?" she looked to Fluttershy, "I thought you said that your new friend used to be a bully?"

"If I may," Sunset spoke nervously, "She's right, Doctor Fauna."

"You know what?" Dr. Fauna stated, "I don't even want to know about it. All I know is that you are a good samaritan who has a huge soft spot for animals. It's how I want to see you unless you give me a reason not to."

Sunset smiled meekly, "I will be more than happy if it could stay that way."

"Well then," she clasped her hands together, "Fluttershy, I trust you have this under control. Now if you need me, I have to untangle Blaze again."

"Is Blaze a snake?" Sunset asked.

Fluttershy and Dr. Fauna laughed, much to Sunset's confusion.

"Not exactly." Fluttershy snickered.

"Blaze is my trainee." Dr. Fauna explained, "And he always seems to get tangled up in the dog leashes."

Sunset giggled as Fauna left the room. Fluttershy led her to the break room where they switched out their jackets and sweaters for lab coats.

They spent a few hours feeding all of the animals for the night, some cat's recognized Sunset and started to egg her on so she'd pet them by making her trip and blocking the food bowls. She gladly pet them so they'd move out of her way.

One animal in particular, a chocolate lab with a missing left ear by the name of Rookie, recognized the flame haired girl, and as soon as Fluttershy opened the gate to feed him, he bolted, almost knocking the pink haired girl over. Sunset however, turned just in time to see the giant, dark brown dog, jump on top of her, knocking her to the ground with a loud; _THUMP!_

Fluttershy hurried to where the dog and Sunset were, smiling as she saw Sunset being licked to death by the overgrown dog while laughing.

"It's nice to see you again too, Rookie." She laughed, "Hey stop, I could use a little help please!"

Fluttershy laughed, carefully leading the dog back to the pen, "He remembers you. He was being attacked by some kids, right?"

"Yeah." Sunset said, as Fluttershy helped her to her feet, "He's looking a lot better."

The other girl nodded, "And so do you. I was volunteering that night you brought him in, you had bruises on your arms and face."

Sunset looked to Fluttershy and smiled, "Yeah, I kind of had to fight my way to him."

"Well I'm glad you did." Fluttershy said, "He was in really bad shape."

"It sucks no one's adopted him yet." Sunset stated, "I'm personally not much of a dog person. Unless one gains pon-human like intelligence, I'm out."

Fluttershy giggled, "Fair enough. Dr. Fauna loves him, I'm pretty sure she wants to take him home but is waiting to move into her new house first."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, this one couple came in the other day and saw him. They were ready to adopt but she told them, 'he's already been adopted'" She explained, "I checked his file and he's still homeless."

Sunset smiled, "I'm sure they will be very happy together."

The girls finished up feeding and cleaning the pens and before they knew it, Dr. Fauna yelled that it was time to close up shop.

Sunset looked at the wall clock and was surprised to see that it was almost eight o'clock, "Wow, it doesn't seem like it's that late."

"Yes, time does seem to fly around here." Fluttershy agreed.

The girls went outside after grabbing their jackets and waving goodbye to Dr. Fauna.

There was a car out front with a man at the wheel. He had dark green skin and pale pink hair on his head that was styled in such a way, Sunset couldn't help but associate with soft serve ice cream.

"That's my dad." Fluttershy said, "Would you like a ride?"

Sunset thought on this for a brief moment but didn't really want Fluttershy, or anyone for that matter, to know where she lived, "No thanks, I'll take a bus."

"OK." She said, "Text me when you get home. See you tomorrow."

Sunset waved as Fluttershy and her dad drove off. She found the bus stop and sat on the bench, waiting for the bus.

 _I actually had a good day. Maybe there is something to this friendship thing._ Sunset thought.

She boarded the bus when it came around the corner and took a spot near the front. Digging through her bag, she brought out a folded piece of paper. Opening it, she stared at the record that held her deeds of the formal to some degree. Though it wasn't in her permanent record anymore, she knew it had still happened and she thought she deserved to keep around a constant reminder as to how much she screwed up.

It made her frown once again, _What if the girls and Principal Celestia are wrong. What if I haven't changed? What if I can't? I could just be this ticking time bomb and when I go off, I could just repeat my same mistakes. I don't want to be that version of myself again. I was so alone. I might as well be back with my parents._

Sunset got off at her stop and walked to the abandoned building then ducked inside. On her floor, she took a step forward and one of the wooden floor boards cracked inwards, almost making Sunset fall face first.

"Well that's new." She said to herself.

She looked around the hall at the usual cracked walls and peeling paint. Indeed, the building was practically falling apart but Sunset thought nothing of it. She'd lived there for six years and never had a problem.

Going to her room, the thoughts of this all being some elaborate farce weighed heavy on her mind. She looked to the corner of the room and picked up her guitar and started strumming the acoustic. Sunset got lost in the rhythm and it calmed her nerves. It had been something she'd initially taken up to quickly learn to use her fingers. She prided herself in the fact she had taught herself to play and music class taught her how to read music. Even after she had gotten the hang of having the extra appendages, she still played and found it calming.

The tune she played was nameless but warm, assertive and it gave her a sense of self-worth. She'd always wanted to turn it into an entire song, including lyrics but with all her plans of manipulation, she never had time.

 _No time like the present._ Sunset thought as she took out a piece of paper.


	15. The Past is Un-Defining

The next two weeks passed as smoothly as it could have for Sunset. There was no Trixie or Gilda to cause her any physical pain so all she had to do was endure the snide remarks and comments from the other students and occasionally being shoved in a locker by a random classmate. Her saving grace was the five girls that had surrounded her and seemed to forgive her for what she'd done.

However, how long would it last? Sunset still harbored feelings that her 'change' might be temporary and it made her rethink her entire situation. She didn't want to go back to being the old her but would she be able to stop herself. What if she ended hurting the people who actually cared about her? Do they even actually care? That was another thing that weighed down on her. She feared that this 'friendship' was just temporary as well and eventually, the novelty would rub off and they would all leave her alone again.

Sunset thought about her deal with Celestia, _I actually need someone more experienced to give me some perspective on this. She did say she wanted to help me._

She really need someone other than the five girls to talk to and Principal Celestia seemed like a good option. Sunset chuckled at the thought, _How many high schoolers actually WANT to talk to the Principal? However, I'm not your average student._

It was the end of the day and though Sunset knew Principal Celestia set aside third period to talk, she really wanted to get her concerns off her chest and didn't want to wait until Monday. The last few nights had been rather sleepless with her thoughts of betrayal and ill intent piling onto her mind.

Walking into the office, Sunset saw the door to Celestia's office opened just enough so she could see papers being strewn across the desk. The receptionist wasn't there so Sunset stood in the vacant front office, trying to decide whether to knock, wait for the receptionist or just go home and meet her at the time Celestia said she'd set aside, all the while just staring at the door to the Principal's office.

She had to be standing there for a solid minute before the door opened.

"Sunset?" Celestia questioned, snapping the girl from her thoughts, "Shouldn't you be headed home."

"Oh! Uh y-yeah, I j-just…" Sunset trailed off, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Is something wrong?" Celestia asked.

"No. Yes? Maybe?" Sunset sighed and slumped down into a nearby chair, "I'm probably just over analyzing things. It's probably nothing, sorry."

Sunset made no move to leave and Celestia knew very well that Sunset had wanted to talk about whatever was bothering her and was just too proud to admit it.

"Why don't you come into my office?" Celestia offered, smiling at her.

"Really?" Sunset asked, "I don't want to bug you while you're working."

"Nonsense." She replied simply, walking back into her office.

Sunset followed and shut the door before taking a seat in a chair across from Principal Celestia's desk. The woman cleared her desk and sat with her arms crossed, elbows resting on the oak surface.

"So, what seems to have you worried?" Celestia asked.

Sunset looked down at her hands clasped in her lap, "I don't know, it's kind of stupid."

"Now, Sunset," Celestia gave her a reassuring smile, "If it's bothering you it can't really be all that stupid."

"Can you please not do that?" Sunset said.

Celestia looked at Sunset with a confused expression, "Do what?"

"Stop talking to me like a counselor!" Sunset spoke, irritancy evident in her tone, "Don't talk to me like I'm so fragile that I could break at any moment! I'm not a child! I got enough of that in Equestria and I don't need it here too!" at this point she was almost yelling, "Just talk to me like any other person! And yes, you're my Principal but it's not like I'm going to go to the authorities if you say something I don't like! That would just lead them to know I'm underage living alone! I've been on my own for six years, I think I can handle being talked to like and actual human being!"

Sunset was breathing heavily after her rant and Celestia just took it with grace. The high school Principal was a little startled at the sudden outburst. She scanned Sunset's expression and saw bags sitting under her eyes and her eyes have a look of both anger and regret.

Sunset's eyes widened when she realized she had just lashed out at her Principal for no reason, "I'm so sorry!" She panicked, "It just kind of happened! I didn't mean to yell at you like that." The girl frowned and looked at her hands again.

Celestia studied her for a brief moment before she spoke, "It's OK, Sunset. I understand what you were trying to say. But I have to ask, have you always had...oh how do I put it… a short fuse?"

Sunset was surprised and glad that she was so upfront about it, "Yeah. It started when I was a filly, uh, small child, shortly after I was adopted."

"You were adopted?" Celestia asked out of genuine curiosity.

She nodded, "Yep. I'm not exactly sure what happened to my birth parents so my adoptive ones were all I knew. Anyway, my parents are really nice ponies, really, but they really just wanted a toddler forever. They were over protective, and talked down to me even when I was old enough to do my own thing. Eventually, I got tired of it and it made me angry. When I lashed out they acted like it was just a tantrum and tried to 'soothe' me. They acted like I was stupid and it irked me."

"Wow, I've heard of coddling but that's just…odd." The Principal said, "I can see how that can develop a temper. Especially if it was so constant."

Sunset nodded, "Yeah it was pretty bad. I always had the feeling of needing to grow up and prove something."

"Oh?" Celestia asked, "Care to elaborate?"

"Sure," Sunset obliged, "I got sick of it, I was just so angry all the time, it hurt. So, that's when I started to sneak out at night and practice my magic, to prove I had grown up." Sunset shook her head, "That opened a whole new can of worms. When I showed them what I could do they freaked out like I had just set fire to the house when I had only just made some puppets fly a round and accidently knocked over a vase. So, a few days later I ran to 'Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.'"

Celestia choked on her own saliva, "Sorry, I forget that I'm a magical Princess in another universe."

"Right," Sunset continued, "I aced the entrance exam but the Princess wanted to meet my parents. I begged her not to and explained how my home life was to but I didn't really have a choice. Luckily, it didn't take long for her to figure out why I wanted to leave. The sent me to take a nap and tried to give me a sippy cup instead of a glass. Needless to say, I lost it and the Princess sent me to wait outside. In the end, she had a talk to my parents and I was off to magic school. I buried myself in my studies and, well, you see where that got me."

"How was your relationship with the Princess?" asked Celestia.

"Great! Much better than me with my parents." Sunset answered, "Don't get me wrong, after I started school they tried but…it was just never…I don't know. Celestia gave me lessons in the mornings and I did my own thing in the afternoon. Complete personal freedom."

"I'm going to be frank with you, Sunset." Celestia said, meeting the girl's eyes, "It sounds like you went from a home that didn't let you grow up to a place that wanted you to grow up too fast."

"What do you mean?" The younger girl questioned.

"Well, you were way too sheltered with your parents." Celestia explained, "Then with the Princess, she gave you freedom yes, but she didn't give you a firm hand to direct you other than in studies."

"She always pushed me to try and make some friends." Sunset countered.

"Yes, but she never out right told you to, did she?" the woman pointed out.

Sunset shook her head, "She never really _told_ me to do anything until those last months."

"Do you think you were… lacking in your influences?" Celestia asked.

Sunset put her hand to her chin in thought, "No not really. Then again, I had nothing to compare it to. I didn't have any friends and then I came to this world and had nobody at all. I guess I'm just used to freedom after Celestia. I used to go by horse years in Equestria so when I was ten, I was sixteen there. Now, I'd be twenty-four in Equestria. It's how I was raised."

Celestia thought on this, "Well, to be honest, I find that rather puzzling. But still, you aren't very different from any other teenager, at CHS. You get into trouble, you grow, you learn and now, you're making friends."

This made Sunset frown slightly.

"However, that can wait for another time." Celestia relented, "I'm sorry, we seemed to have gotten a bit off topic. There was something you wanted to talk to me about?"

Sunset frowned, "That just it. I'm making friends. But how do I know if it's real?Like you said, I've lived a pretty sheltered life before now, I don't know anything about being social or about relationships. I'm just terrified that they're doing this for some reason and when they deem me 'reformed' or whatever, they're going to leave me. I don't want to be alone again!" Sunset hugged herself, tears forming in her eyes, "I'm tired of always being alone."

This struck a chord in Celestia, the same one she felt when seeing where Sunset lived. In front of her; was a lonely girl who never had any proper parental guidance in life and is afraid to lose everything she never had in the past. In such a short time, Sunset had come so far and tried so hard to change what she had become and even now, it tore at her insides.

Now, after a month of trying to correct herself despite the bullying and self-doubt, she broke, everything she's been bottling up is coming all out at once.

Celestia did the only thing she could of think of. She got up from her chair and sat next to Sunset, who was now in a full emotional break down, and wrapped her arms around her. Immediately, Sunset turned and accepted the hug, clutching on to Principal Celestia as if she was her last life line.

"I-I'm scared, a-and I don't know wh-what to do." Sunset said between sobs, "I-I know it's sil-ly and I'm just thinking of the worst-case scenario that will probably never happen but it's still in my head after we hang out. I-I feel ac-accepted and I don't feel pressured. I don't want it to change. But…what if, _I'm_ the one to ruin it? What if I become… _that_ again?"

Sunset was still crying but she was a little calmer now, "Sunset, I assure you, those five girls are not going to up and leave you alone." Celestia began to stroke Sunset's hair, and spoke in a soothing voice, "You're only scared because it's new and you are letting your walls down. You've been so isolated and it is a big step to go from that, to having people care about you, and from what I see, you also care about them and will never try to hurt them like that again."

Sunset sniffled, "How do you know? I've done it before."

"Because you didn't _care_ before." Celesta said, "Now that you are getting to know them, you want to protect them, and that Sunset, is the difference between you now, and the old you."

Sunset pulled away, and grabbed a tissue from the box on the desk and wiped her nose, putting the soiled tissue in the garbage can.

"Sunset, listen to me." Celestia said, getting the girl's attention again, "Your past is not what defines you, what you do here and now is what matters."

Sunset looked at the ground smiling and mumbled; "My past is not today."

"Excuse me?" Celestia questioned.

"It's what you said; My past is not who I am today. Except…" Sunset brought her hands over her shoulders and traced the scars on her shoulder blades, "It always leaves scars."

"Are you OK, Sunset?" Celestia asked, for some reason, finding the action unsettling.

Sunset met her eyes and smiled, "Yeah, I think I'm fine for now. Thanks, Principal Celestia."

"I'm glad I could help. I was honestly afraid that you wouldn't take me up on my offer." Celestia admitted.

"Me neither, honestly." Sunset told her, "But I felt like I couldn't handle it all. I know myself enough to know when I need an outlet. Usually, I punch a wall or something but it wasn't really helping me deal with the problem."

"Well I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to talk to me." Celestia rose, "Anything else that can't be left until Monday?"

"No, I'm good." Sunset grabbed her bag and headed for the door but stopped.

Celestia was about to ask what was wrong but Sunset then turned and hugged the older woman. She smiled.

"Thanks again." Sunset said before parting just as quickly and headed home.

Celestia smiled and held her forehead, _Luna's going to kill me._

* * *

 ** _Author's Note_**

 ** _Did I mention my lack of self control? Anyway this is my favorite chapter in this first arc. I call it the 'Acceptance' arc and I believe you can see why._**

 ** _Also. I love all the positive comments and feed back! I think It's the reason why I'm in a good mood and posted more. I love the encouragement and all the theories you all come up with, it takes enough restraint not to tell you all about what I have in store for you! I feel as though you will wind up hating me because of my favorite chapter, It's not this one._**

 ** _Anyway, thanks and I will catch you again on Monday!_**


	16. What to Do

Celestia got home late after her talk with Sunset. She didn't like to see the girl so distraught. However, it surprised Celestia that she even wanted to speak to her in the first place.

"Luna," Celestia called upon getting in the door, "I'm home."

"Took you long enough." The younger sister called.

Celestia took her coat and shoes off at the door then followed the sweet smell of spaghetti into the kitchen. Luna was leaning against the island in a t-shirt from one of her video games playing on a blue DS.

"What took you so long?" Luna asked after putting her game on the counter.

"Sunset came to see me after school today." Celestia said simply.

Luna looked at her sister skeptically, "Really? Or is this just a ploy so you didn't have to make dinner?"

Celestia chuckled a little, "No, she really did come to see me. She had concerns regarding her new friends. She also shared with me about the kind of life she'd had in…where ever she came from."

Luna saw Celestia frown when she finished speaking, "There's something else."

"She's never actually had a family." Celestia sighed, "She was adopted when she was small, her parents treated her like a baby her entire life. Then she went to another person, um, pony I guess? Who gave her too much freedom. There she was practically forced into adulthood, she doesn't know what it's like to be able to be herself or even how to be a teenager!"

Luna nodded knowingly, "Well, at least she's actually talking to someone. Not like the ticking time bomb I was."

"She needs out of that building." Celestia pouted, "I didn't even look structurally sound."

Luna could see the direction in which her sister was heading and though she had thought about it as well, it just didn't seem like the best time to act upon it, "What she needs is someone she can go talk to and to be surrounded by people who won't bring her down."

Celestia knew full well that Luna was right. Even though there was something she could do, the timing might make Sunset distance herself from them and that would make the girl's situation harder than Sunset could handle.

"Your right." Celestia said, "It's just… watching her break down in my office like that, it just got to me. I could see how lonely she was."

Again, Luna nodded, "I know what you're thinking, Tia, and I understand why but we barely know her and she barely knows us."

"I know, and your right." Celestia said sternly, "As much as I want to act, I cannot with knowing so little about her. Besides," Celestia looked hungrily at the spaghetti, "I believe you made a wonderful dinner!"

Luna smiled and they went on talking about their day and any other topics that happened to come to mind. After dinner, the two ladies cleaned up the kitchen and went on to do their own thing. Luna retreated to her room or, 'Night-lair' as she liked to call it, while Celestia took to the study and went straight to one of the large book shelves that contained all of her fiction novels.

She smiled upon looking at all of the shelves in her room. It was so much like a library, she could almost forget that she was even at home. Most of her collection was gotten over a few generations of her family, including herself, but a vast majority was given to her by her's and Luna's old mentor. She did miss Starswirl and his beard he was just so fond of. Honestly, Celestia just wished he'd shaved it off.

That was six years ago. She had been no older than twenty-six when he passed and she missed him every moment. It was, in fact, because of him that Celestia and Luna had turned out so well. They were very troublesome teens, more so Luna but then again, Celestia was always the mature one. Starswirl's passing was hard for her, Luna and their family. He had made a big impression on all of their lives and without a family of his own, he became a part of theirs.

This thought made Celestia smile as she chose a book from the shelf and sat in a lounge chair and started to read the pages, getting lost in the fantastical plot of the story.

Back in Luna's 'Night-Lair', she was huddled at her desk in the dim room, the only light coming from the two monitors in front of her. She moved her fingers quickly across several keys, successfully destroying the orc. Video games had been Luna's preferred pass time, having gotten into it as an outlet during the last year or so of high school but never seemed to grow out of it. Sure, she enjoyed reading like her sister but she had to be in the mood. Celestia however, just didn't understand why Luna was so enamored with them.

Not many people knew of her secret obsession, other than her family and a couple friends, none of which really enjoys playing video games.

Maybe I should get Tia put through that request for a video game club. Luna thought on that for a moment before shaking her head, No, bad idea. I would work them like animals. Besides, they can't be scared of me if they get along with me.

Luna grinned. She truly did enjoy terrorizing the misbehaving students but it will benefit them in the future so why not? It didn't take long while fighting orcs and lizardmen for Luna to find her mind wandering to one troublesome, or ex-troublesome student. Sunset Shimmer. However, that was no surprise as she had been the topic of conversation between the sisters since finding out where the girl lived. Luna remembered when she was in a similar situation.

The darker haired sister remembered her second year of high school when everything seemed to fall apart for her, all because of a stupid crush. She felt like the world had turned against her until her best friend came to save her, and soon, so did her mentor. Celestia was a little better off at the time but it had turned into a huge intervention for the girls and their friends. They, in fact, had gotten way too out of hand and they only realized it when the school pitted themselves against Luna specifically.

Much like Sunset, the sisters were popular and got what they wanted by force and cruelty. At first, they didn't want to change and had no reason to. It was because of one traumatic event and a lot of family and friend's involvement, they were forced to change and Luna was at the center of it all.

However, for a while it just caused more problems.

Luna frowned at the thought of that trip to the hospital, though she was the one unconscious for most of it. At some time during her stay, Celestia ended up in a fight she couldn't win, luckily their parents were able to avoid incarceration.

It was not a good time for either of them and as far as Luna could see, Sunset wasn't doing half the stuff she and Celestia did. That, at least, was a positive to the situation.

If Celestia was telling the truth, Sunset has had a pretty sad life thus far. Luna contemplated, and if she truly has no one in this world, she hasn't even experienced any real joys as a child or teenager. I hope my sister can learn more about her situation. Maybe we could help.

Luna got up, leaving her monitors on then walked out of her bedroom and headed down stairs. It's been a good hour or so since she and Celestia split to go do their own thing so Luna decided to go see what her older sister was up to. She didn't get very far as the doorbell rang.

From the last step of the stairs which looked out to the front door, Luna could see bits of seaweed green hair and black skin in the window by the door. The grown woman squealed like a middle schooler and practically ran to the door.

"Chrysalis!" Luna yelled as she opened the door and jumped into the other woman's arms.

"I take it you're happy to see me?" Chrysalis smiled.

Luna blushed as she realized what she'd just done in front of her friend. After carefully letting go she smiled, "Of course I am. I haven't seen you in three months!"

"I know," Chrysalis waved her off, "Work has just kept me busy. Besides, I will never miss Halloween with my closest friend."

Luna gave Chrysalis a devilish grin and stepped aside so she could enter the house, "Ah, My favorite night of the year! Scaring the socks off children."

Chrysalis laughed and gave her a small smile, "My, Luna, you haven't changed a bit."

"Oh, Chrysalis!" Celestia said as she walked into the foyer, "What a wonderful surprise!"

"Tia!" she smiled, "Nice to see you again!"

"You are here for Halloween I take it?" Celestia smiled knowingly.

"You're not going to try to stop us this year, are you?" Chrysalis asked.

"No," She sighed, "I've honestly given up."

"Yeah, I'm still trying to get her to go in costume. She says she's 'just not feeling it this year.'" Luna explained.

"Nope!" Chrysalis said, "I will not allow this! It's Halloween, you have to dress up to at least hand out candy."

"Aren't we a little old to be dressing up in such ridiculous costumes?" The pale woman asked.

"Nonsense!" Luna protested, "Adults dress up for parties and handing out candy!"

"Besides! You two work in a high school. It wouldn't be right if you didn't dress up!" Chrysalis added.

Celestia looked at the two women skeptically, "Doesn't mean I have to dress up."

"But aren't you the one always going on about 'connecting with the student's'" questioned Luna.

Celestia rolled her eyes, Honestly, these two are meant for each other with their Halloween obsession. Even if I keep protesting they are eventually going to force me into it.

"Alright, but I'm not going as a princess." Celestia explained.

Luna raised her fist in triumph then high fived her friend.

Celestia giggled, "So, what's the theme this year?"

"Our evil selves." Luna smiled manically.

"Oh no." Celestia paled.


	17. The Plan

Since that day in Celestia's office, Sunset had spoken with her every couple of days, whether it's to share her day or vent about her misguided deeds. It was nice having someone else to talk to, someone other than the five girls she is growing to care for.

It was Sunday afternoon and Sunset was walking around aimlessly downtown. She had spent a good hour walking through the park and was pretty sure she could navigate it in her sleep by now. Now, she wandered down the sidewalk in the business district of town, close to Canterlot high. She had a couple run-ins with fellow students but for the most part, they left her well enough alone.

She was snapped from her thoughts when she almost ran into a hyperactive, bouncing, pink blob.

"Sunset!" Pinkie Pie cheered, "I can't believe I actually found you!"

Sunset looked surprised, "Y-you were looking for me?"

Pinkie giggled, "Well of course silly! You weren't answering your phone and I need to talk with you and the other girls! So, I decided to check the mall where you work even though you don't usually work Sundays and when you weren't there, I decided to wander around and see if I could find you. I didn't actually think I'd find you though, but I did!"

"Uh…" Sunset stammered and looked for her phone to check her messages but it wasn't in any of her pockets. "That's weird, I guess I forgot it at home. Sorry, Pinkie."

"Oh, that's OK Sunset," Pinkie put her arm around her shoulders, "I would have just talked to you on Monday instead."

Sunset moved out of Pinkie's arm and the pink haired girl rambled off something about cupcakes and pudding until they came to Sugar Cube Corner and went inside. The girls walked to the usual booth near the back of the café where their four other friends sat waiting, absorbed in their own conversation.

Applejack was the first to notice their arrival and waved to Sunset with a smile on her face, halting the other conversation they were having for everyone else to greet the two newcomers.

"Hey, you found her!" Rainbow greeted.

"Yep!" Pinkie said as she slid in next to Rarity, while Fluttershy shuffled over for Sunset to sit down, "She forgot her phone at home so she didn't get our messages."

Fluttershy gave Sunset a concerned look, "Don't you live alone? Isn't it dangerous to be without a phone?"

Sunset looked to the shy girl, "Until recently, there wasn't anyone who I would call or vice versa. Honestly though, I never forget my phone, I just didn't get a lot of sleep so I guess it slipped my mind."

Fluttershy asked why she wasn't getting much sleep but Sunset didn't really want to bring up the nightmares she's been having. So she avoided the question by pretending she didn't hear her.

"So, Pinkie," Sunset spoke, "Why are we here?"

"To make plans for Thursday silly!" She said as if it were obvious.

"Thursday?" Sunset though out loud, "That's the thirty first, right? What's so special about it?"

"You're kidding, right?" Rainbow Dash asked dumbfounded.

Sunset looked at her questioningly. It was then that everyone else joined her in the shocked expressions.

"It's Halloween, duh." Pinkie said finally.

Sunset nodded, "Right, it's that night where fillies- uh, kids, go out in costume and get candy."

Applejack sighed, "I was scared there for a minute. Wait didn't you have Halloween in…ah, where you're from?"

"Hmm," Sunset though a moment before speaking, "Not exactly. We had something called nightmare night. We dressed up in costumes and went door to door to get candy but we had to sacrifice some of our candy to Nightmare Moon so she didn't eat us instead. Though I think that last part was the Princess's idea. She had quite the sweet tooth."

"I still can't believe that in another dimension our Principal is _actually_ a princess." Rarity said.

"So, let's plan Halloween!" Pinkie interrupted.

It was a long tedious, process, much more tedious than Sunset thought necessary. For the most part, Sunset was silent, believing it was not her place to shoot off any opinions or suggestions because she was so new to the group.

"So, this is the fastest route!" Pinkie Pie said as they were all huddled around a map.

Sunset scanned the scribbles and Pinkie's attempt at math and noticed something she missed, after a few moments she decided to give it a shot.

"There's a better way we can go." Sunset said, "You're looking at the length of the road, not the number of houses."

Sunset grabbed a marker from Pinkie and started drawing X's on the map where there were various houses then drew a blue line over Pinkie's pink ones. When she was done, she grabbed the ruler and calculated the distance they could walk in the two hours Pinkie had set for candy collecting.

"There." Sunset sat back in the booth.

Pinkie and the others looked at Sunset's route. Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie started to recalculate and when they were finished, they gave Sunset blank stares.

The looks on their faces were making Sunset self-conscious. She was about to apologize but Pinkie spoke first.

"Wow Sunset!" Pinkie smiled brightly, "You're super good at math! We will hit twice as many houses!"

 _2.3 times more._ Sunset thought to herself but didn't want to insult the pink girl.

"Did you just think of that when we were talking?" Rainbow asked.

Sunset shrugged, "I guess."

"Wow." Fluttershy said, "And I thought _I_ was good at math. I can see why you're in all the honors classes."

"Except in history." Sunset said.

"So, it's settled!" Pinkie Pie cheered, "We will take Sunset's route!"

Sunset smiled to herself as they all went on to talk about costumes. After about an hour of discussion and debates, they all settled on modern time vampires and werewolves as it was both a fun and easy costume for Sunset's first Halloween. They drew from Applejack's hat to decide which three were going to be werewolves and which three were going to be vampires.

They all split off shortly after that but Sunset was not really up to date on this world's conspiracies and lore, she also didn't really have the time to look it up. So, she ran off to catch up with the best person she could think of to help her, Rarity.

About a block away, Sunset finally caught up to the purple haired girl, "Rarity! Wait up!" She called.

Rarity turned around to see Sunset standing a few feet away, "Sunset? What's wrong?"

She waved her hands in front of her, "Nothing, honest, I, uh…" Sunset looked away out of breath and suddenly nervous about the nature of her request.

"Well? What is it?" Rarity said tentatively.

"I wanted to ask, if it's not too much trouble, I know you don't know me well but I was hoping…" Sunset took a deep breath and kicked at the ground, "Would you mind helping me with my costume…please?"

It took a moment before Rarity practically squealed, "I thought you would never ask!"

With that, Rarity was dragging Sunset down the sidewalk.

On their way to the thrift store, Rarity explained to Sunset exactly what she was getting into. Werewolves were fairly rugged so she needed some ripped jeans, an old shirt and a jacket. After a couple hours of searching through the aisles, they found what they were looking for, a pair of ripped dark blue jeans, a dark orange shirt and Rarity grabbed a few packages of face paint and some fake fangs.

"So, all we didn't get was a jacket." Rarity said.

Sunset frowned, "I really miss mine."

"The one that got taken from your locker?" Rarity asked.

She nodded, "I've had that jacket since I came here. It holds some sentimental value I guess. Now, I'm probably never going to see it again."

"Never say never Sunset." Rarity said, though Sunset never saw the knowing smirk on her face, "Now, I want you to meet me at my house at six thirty on Thursday."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Rarity rolled her eyes, "To do your make up of course."

"Makeup?" asked Sunset.

"Yes, darling," Rarity said, "You can't look like you. You're a werewolf! You _must_ look more canine."

"I don't get it…" Sunset said.

Rarity couldn't help but laugh, "You'll see what I mean come Thursday."

Sunset looked at her nervously.

"Sunset," Rarity looked at her with a serious expression, "I am your friend and you asked me to help you, so I shall. You have to learn to trust us."

She sighed, "I know, sorry. It's going to take time for me to figure out this friendship thing."

"It's alright," Rarity smiled, "But I have to warn you, the girls and I are pretty touchy feely, you're going to have to get used to it."

Sunset nodded, "I can try."

Rarity smiled, "That's all I ask."

Sunset stuck her hands in her sweater pockets, her bag of clothes hanging from her arm, "Thanks for helping me Rarity, I really appreciate it."

"What are friends for." She smiled.

They then said their goodbyes then went home to prepare for the week ahead.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **God I hate reading my own writing. To me, I find that reading my own writing is not...well, good. I know it's always turns out and I love how people like it. But Alas, I still need to do the final edit.**

 **Thank you to all of you who are following this and I can't wait to show you what I have in store for all of you and for our dear Sunset. Thanks again, see you next week!**


	18. Too Nice?

The week of Halloween came and went with a flash. Sunset was still fretting about Thursday but that's nothing new. She hated going to school and her only solace was her friends, but they couldn't be there all the time to protect her, nor did she expect them to. Still, she was starting to think her friends and Principal Celestia were wrong; did she really deserve all of this? It had been almost three weeks since the formal, and no one was even loosening up.

Trixie also returned to school Monday and she still insisted on being the one to punish Sunset for what she'd done. It also turned out that Snips and Snails had decided that they would rather be Trixie's goons but Sunset was sure they were getting treated better by Trixie than they ever did by her.

"Sunset!" Rainbow Dash called as she met Sunset at her locker, "Pinkie wants us all in the cafeteria to discuss last minute plans for tomorrow."

"Alright." Sunset sighed but this went unnoticed by the sporty girl.

They began walking to the cafeteria in silence, classmates giving Sunset various glares and insults but Sunset was too lost in her own, insecure thoughts as she hugged her bag tightly to her chest, the contents of which were weighing down on her subconscious as much as her feelings of fear when thinking; what if she sunk back into old habits?

They weren't far from the cafeteria when she heard someone say; "She _has_ to know that they just feel sorry for her." Sunset stopped walking and focused on the voice in the hall, "Who would want to be friends with a demon. She should go back to where ever she came from." "Principal Celestia is just too nice to expel her." Another voice replied

Sunset hugged her bag tighter to her chest and looked to the ground.

"Who said that?" Rainbow yelled angrily, trying to find the offender in the crowd.

Out of all the things Sunset had heard over the past three weeks, people taking pity on her was never something she considered. The selling point for her was, in Sunset's eyes, that Principal Celestia was just that; too nice.

"Are you OK, Sunset?" Rainbow asked as she noticed Sunset backing away.

"I have to go." The flame haired girl muttered and she took off running.

Of course, Rainbow followed her, trying to get her to slow down but they were both in a full-on sprint. Rainbow saw Sunset duck into the library but by the time she got there herself, Sunset had already disappeared among the books.

Even to herself, Rainbow could admit that she did not really have the skill set to make Sunset feel better the way she needed. So, she did the next best thing; texted her friends.

When they arrived, Rainbow told them the situation and what she had heard the other students say. They asked Cheerilee if she had seen where Sunset ran off to and she pointed them to the second floor of the library, the place where no one really went.

They split up and scanned the aisles. It didn't take long until Pinkie Pie heard sniffling and went to investigate. When she rounded a corner, she could see Sunset hugging her knees, shoulders shaking as she cried silently.

Pinkie, for once, walked quietly as not to scare her but still managed a bright smile. "Hey, Sunset! We've been looking all over for you."

Sunset looked up at Pinkie with red puffy eyes, "Just leave me alone, Pinkie."

"Nope!" Pinkie said as she sat down beside Sunset, despite the other girl's wishes, "You're crying and you don't leave your friends alone when their sad."

"Right!" Rainbow Dash said as she and the others came out from the shelves, having heard Pinkie's voice, "It's what friends do."

They all sat in a little circle in front of Sunset, Rarity sat on her other side and rubbed her back comfortingly, something Sunset stopped herself from flinching away from.

"Are you guys trying to be friends with me just because you feel sorry for me?" Sunset asked bluntly.

"If we didn't honestly wanna be your friend, why would we include ya in Halloween?" Applejack asked, "We could have just as well told ya nothin' and you wouldn't have even known."

"Yeah," Pinkie Pie agreed, "It would have been super easy too, because you don't eat lunch with us very often."

"Look," Applejack said, "Yes we felt sorry for ya, but it's not why we want to be your friends. Fluttershy told us about when you helped out at the shelter and meeting that dog you saved again. Sunset, you are a good person."

"Yes, Darling." Rarity added, "You never really showed it in the past but now, it's all we see."

Sunset sighed, "I know you guys want to be my friends, my _real_ friends, I just have a habit of letting stupid things get to me." She hugged her knees tighter.

"There's something else bothering you." Fluttershy said, "About what one of them said."

Rainbow Dash thought back to the hall, right before Sunset took off, and then a lightbulb went off in her head, "It's that thing about Principal Celestia!"

Rarity saw a small nod from Sunset and spoke, "You have been spending an awful lot of time in her office. What is the nature of your visits? I can't see you being in trouble again."

Sunset thought for a moment as whether or not to tell them anything but ultimately, she knew that if she was truly going to be their friend, she had to show them a bit of trust as well. "You all know I live alone and I have for the past six years. About a week after the formal, Celestia called me into her office and she gave me…stipulations regarding how I am living."

"Stipulations?" Fluttershy asked.

Sunset nodded, "Yes, the first one was that I needed an adult to contact in case I needed it so, Celestia asked to be my emergency contact. The second, was, well, she thought I needed a counselor and since we are trying to hide where I'm really from, Celestia told me, that she would make time for me after lunch if I needed it. It took me a week to do the second thing."

Her friends stared at Sunset blankly but Fluttershy was the first to speak, "Wow, I've never heard of _any_ Principal that cared that much."

"The girls in the hall said she was just trying to be nice," Rainbow thought out loud, "That doesn't really sound like just being 'nice'."

"I don't know how it works where you're from," Applejack said, "But people don't just do things like that to be nice. They do that 'cause they _actually_ care."

"Yeah." Sunset said sadly.

"If I didn't know any better," Rarity gave Sunset a one-armed hug, "I'd say that you see our principal as more of a mentor than anything."

Sunset smiled, "You don't know the half of it."

"Yeah!" Pinkie cheered, "There's that smile!"

The group couldn't help but giggle at the over eccentric girl.

"Now that we got that out of the way," Pinkie pulled out a piece of paper with various small drawings on it, "Let's go over the plan. So, we all come to school in our costumes and meet at Fluttershy's and Sunset's lockers."

"And Sunset is meeting me at my house early so I can help her with makeup." Rarity said.

"Don't your parents leave like, super early?" Rainbow questioned.

Rarity smirked and took out her wallet, showing the others the plastic card, she had inside, "That will no longer be a problem, Rainbow Dash."

"When did you get your license?" Fluttershy asked.

"Monday after school." She explained, "I never brought it up because I never had a reason to."

"Congratulations, Rarity!" Pinkie beamed, "I should throw you a party like I did for Maud! Anyway, at lunch I will give everyone super special Halloween cupcakes, so Sunset," she narrowed her eyes at the red head, "be there."

"Alright." Sunset nodded.

"Then, after school, we all meet at my house." Pinkie said, handing a sheet of paper with a chart to each girl, "Since Rarity has her license, we won't all have to go with Maud or Big Mac. So, Maud will drive me, AJ and Fluttershy, and Rarity can take Sunset and Rainbow! It's perfect! So, remember to bring you duffle bags! Halloween sleepover!"

"Um, Pinkie," Applejack said, "You think you could have mentioned the sleepover sooner?"

"Oh, no!" Pinkie shouted at the realization, "I totally forgot to tell you guys!"

They all told her it was fine and that they didn't have any plans anyway. Sunset however froze at the thought of a sleepover.

"Uh," Sunset got everyone's attention, "What do you bring to a sleepover?"

Pinkie's eyes just about popped out of her head, "What? You've _never_ been to a sleepover?!"

Sunset shook her head, "Who was I supposed to have one with?"

"Oh, right sorry." She apologized then took out a piece of paper and quickly scribbled down a list, handing it to Sunset, "This is a list of everything you need and optional stuff too."

"Thanks." Sunset said before Pinkie continued.

"Now, first we play a few party games, then when the sun goes down, we go trick or treating and after that we'll order pizza and watch a scary movie _and_ we hand out candy until we fall asleep!"

Everyone nodded in agreement for the plan as the bell rang for class and Sunset quickly rose to her feet grabbing her bag, "Sorry, I have a meeting with Principal Celestia. Text me if I missed anything." Sunset didn't wait for a reply and headed out of the library towards the office.

She took a deep breath, _That_ _ **does**_ _make me feel a little better. I know I'm getting worked up over nothing. It's nice to know they care so much though._ She glanced at her bag, _here goes nothing._


	19. Pieces in Play

Sunset walked into the front office, unsure of what she was going to tell Principal Celestia, or more to the point, ask a request no sane person would ever ask of their high school principal. However, it was something she knew she needed to do. Part of it yes, was already a part of the deal they made after the formal, secondly, she felt it was necessary, but otherwise unrelated. Principal Celestia, as of yet, is the only one she seemed to have irrefutable trust in.

Once the receptionist saw her, she waved Sunset to Celestia's door and returned to her paper work. Sunset took a deep breath and knocked, then entered without waiting for an answer.

"Sunset," Celestia smiled, moving her papers to the side, "I'm glad you could make it. How have you been? Has Trixie been bothering you?"

Sunset took a seat in front of the desk, setting her bag on the other chair beside her, "I'm fine I guess, Pinkie Pie is having a sleepover tomorrow night and I'm really nervous about it. I've never been to one, much less had any experience with Halloween or how to behave at one. Pinkie gave me a list of things I need but I'm not sure if I should bring anything else." She took a deep breath, "Maybe I should just cancel."

"You will do no such thing." Celestia said with a commanding tone that almost made Sunset cower, "You've been through a lot in these past weeks and I do not want to see you sitting out when everyone else is having fun. You cannot avoid everything your friends want to do as a group"

 _And it gets you out of that old building for one night._ Celestia thought to herself.

"I know," Sunset sighed, "I haven't really slept away from home before, not really. When I moved out of my parents' house, I live in the castle, and when I came here, I lived where I am now. Moved homes, just never been away from it."

"Tell you what," Celestia suggested, "You have my personal number so if you feel anxious or just want to talk, just give me a call."

"Really?" Sunset asked.

Celestia nodded.

After a moment of silence, Sunset snickered.

"What is it?" questioned Celestia.

"Nothing," She giggled, "It just reminds me of those books where a kid calls their mom because their homesick."

Celestia smiled, "Yes, I can see the similarities." After another short silence, Celestia spoke, "So, I assume that was not what you came here for."

Sunset flinched, "Oh, right. So, there is something important I needed to talk to you about but, it kind of breaches the student/teacher relationship."

"What is it?" Celestia asked.

She took a folder out of her backpack. "I've been keeping these in my locker since last year but I've had a few close calls since then and I'm not sure that my luck will hold out forever. You can say no, I can find something but I don't really know how safe they will be."

Celestia raised her brow and walked around and leaned against her desk in front of Sunset then gestured for the folder. She scanned over the first two pages, "You know you can access these at any time, right?"

Sunset shook her head, "I can't access my own government papers until I'm eighteen so I have to keep a physical copy. I _just_ turned sixteen a couple weeks ago."

The light-haired woman bit her lip in thought, "I would be more than happy to. I am glad you put so much trust in me."

Sunset shrugged, "It's nice having an…adult I can trust. It was a better than the second option."

"What was the second option?" She asked curiously.

Sunset scratched the back of her neck nervously, "Guardianship."

Celestia snorted, "Luna would kill me."

They both laughed at this then continued on to lighter conversations. Celestia smiled at how animated Sunset became when she got talking about the song she was trying to write and whatever she was doing in math and art class. She had to admit, the girl had so much potential and talent she could go far but she doesn't seem to acknowledge the passion she has for it.

Sunset was talking about the assignment she had gotten in art class the previous day that she had already finished when Celestia got curious.

"Do you happen to have a picture of it? I'd love to see what you've done." Celestia requested.

Sunset blushed a little but pulled up the picture and excitedly handed it to Principal Celestia. It was at moments like these where Sunset forgets that they are at school and the woman in front of her is the Principal. Celestia didn't mind though. It was nice because Sunset had taken down a lot of her walls for the hour entire out she ended up spending in the office.

Celestia took a look at the photo and was pleasantly surprised at what she was seeing; Sunset had painted a canvas to look like a stylized yellow and red sun but half of the board was darker than the other, more of a grey hue, with a glowing black and cyan eye near the top of right side. On the left, the sun was more vibrant with regular cyan eyes near the top. Celestia realized the eyes were Sunset's own, her demon from the formal and the ones she has now. In the center of the picture was Sunset, a really good painting of her as well. On the right half, sunset bore the demonic, red bat wings. On the left, ones made of brilliant flame. Her eyes were closed, tears dripping from both eyes.

"The assignment was to illustrate who we are." Sunset explained with a sad smile, "It's who everyone else thinks I am and part of me I hate, but I refuse to let that part define me. I know it's kind of deep for a school project. It's how I get my thoughts out of my head, besides getting angry at everything."

"Sunset, this looks amazing." Celestia commented, still looking at the picture, "I had no idea you were so talented."

Sunset blushed, "It's really not that good."

"I beg to differ." Celestia argued, "Why have you never entered one of the school art competitions?"

"Because I was busy making everyone's lives miserable." She buried her head in her hands. "The old me was horrible"

Celestia lay a comforting hand on Sunset's shoulder, "If it helps, this," She handed Sunset her phone, "Is a much better use of your time _and_ talents."

Sunset smiled at the compliment, "Thanks."

"Do you have any other drawings?" Celestia asked, "Other than the ones you did in class?"

Sunset shook her head, "Nope, other than the ones in the margins of my notes. I can't really afford to buy anything but lined paper for notes."

Celestia nodded and quickly changed the subject, _Sunset, I would love to help you more than you think you need._

That evening, when Celestia returned home, she went straight to the study and put Sunset's papers in her family's safe and frowned.

"You had another meeting with Miss Shimmer today." Luna stated.

Celestia turned to the door and saw her sister and Chrysalis standing in the doorway, "Yes, she asked me to hold on to her papers for her. She felt they weren't safe with her."

"Is that the girl who lives in that abandoned building?" Chrysalis asked.

Celestia shot Luna a glare.

"Come on sister, you know she won't say anything." Luna said, "Besides, Chrys has the means to stop children's services from taking her."

"Now," Luna continued, "I'd like to say that I am surprised she trusted you, or any one for that matter with those papers. Don't try to tell me she doesn't know how valuable they are, Sunset Shimmer is one of our best students and she had to have done her homework to figure out how to get those."

Celestia remained silent.

"If I may," Chrysalis intervened, "Luna has told me of some of your conversations and in light of this new evidence, I think you care about her."

"I care about all of my students." Celestia protested.

"Tia, she destroyed the front of the school and ruled the entire student body with fear and, instead of expelling her, you let her shred her record of misconduct, had her make you her emergency contact _and_ became her councilor." Luna said.

"Not to mention you are holding her government papers for her." Added Chrys.

"She needed help." Celestia said adamantly, "And we discussed it together, Luna. I do believe you were the one who was relieved when I didn't want to expel her."

Luna nodded, "But I'm not the one who was ready to take her home after finding out her living situation."

"Tia," Chrys interjected, "I believe you have gotten rather…attached." She smiled, "I think you need to figure out what you and Luna are going to do." She looked at Luna who had her head down in thought and back to Celestia, then had a realization, "Or have you already decided?"

The sisters exchanged looks. Luna sighed, "We know what we _want_ to do. It doesn't mean Sunset will allow it."

Celestia nodded, "She's been completely on her own for six years. She had similar freedom since before then."

"As we understand it," Luna explained, "Sunset was a foster child and her parents weren't a right fit so someone took her away and she stayed with them for a couple years before coming here after running away. The situation is complicated but there is no way she can go back to where she is from."

Chrysalis nodded, "Well I guess all you can really do is try to figure out what she wants then approach her about it."

The sisters nodded

"Let's give it the end of next month, try to figure out what Sunset wants until then before we make a final decision." Luna proposed.

"You know, I'm not sure if it's wise to even give her a choice." Celestia said.

"What do you mean?" Chrysalis asked.

"She's still just a child." Celestia began, "Sunset is smart, yes, but she's alone. She needs someone to care for her so she can relax and just be a teenager."

The other two women could see the pained look in Celestia's eyes. It was obvious that she held a concern for Sunset that she hasn't held for any student in the past. There was something almost…nurturing, in her gaze.

Chrysalis and Luna exchanged looks before Luna spoke, "You have the same look in your eye as mom does when she first met Chrys."

"I'm glad you're going to help her, Tia." Chrysalis smiled, "It's still going to take about a month to draw up the papers, I suggest you restrain yourself until then."

Celestia nodded, "Thank you, Chrysalis."

The dark-skinned woman smiled, "Now, back to decorating!"

Luna cheered and followed her out of the room.

Celestia sighed and shook her head but smiled not that there was a plan of action in place. It was going to be a long month.

Sunset was happy about how her meeting with Celestia went. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She knew very well that everything Principal Celestia was doing for her was rather unconventional and the fact that she agreed to hold the girl's papers until she was eighteen was even more so. However, she appreciated every minute of it. It's been a long time since she had anyone really.

Principal Celestia was Princess Celestia's counterpart and that why Sunset was getting so attached. At least that's what she told herself. The truth was, Principal Celestia was everything Princess Celestia was but also, everything she wasn't. The Principal was the mentor she needed, the one she always wanted.

Sunset shook herself from her thoughts and looked over everything on her desk; sleeping bag, extra pillow, the extra toothbrush and toothpaste she picked up after work, extra change of clothes and the pajamas she really wore in the summer when her building wasn't below freezing. Over on her cot was the parts to the costume Rarity had helped her pick out.

After going through her things and making sure she had everything, she shoved everything into her duffle bag and put her costume on the desk. She nodded in approval and headed to the bathroom so she could get ready for bed.

A few feet from the bathroom, Sunset felt an odd pressure under the floorboards. After another step, two of the boards cracked inwards and fell through the ceiling. Sunset's leg fell through but she managed to catch herself by falling backwards.

She sat there, adrenaline pumping as she cautiously removed her leg from the now gaping hole in her floor.

 _This place really is falling apart._ Sunset thought, _I can't stay here much longer_. But where was she going to go? She was an under aged high schooler with no way to prove she has any parents. Sunset figured it was a problem for another time.

After she had calmed her heart rate, she went to take her freezing shower and went to bed, avoiding the hole in her floor.


	20. Halloween Part 1

Sunset got up early on Halloween and got dressed in the ripped jeans and shirt for her costume along with some black and red high-tops she and Rarity found. After grabbing her phone, backpack and charger, she caught a bus to Rarity's, texting her to let her know she was on her way.

It was an ungodly hour; the sun just poking its head over the horizon as she got off the bus. She walked the half block to Rarity's from the bus stop and knocked on the door. Rarity answered the door dressed in her vampire attire which consisted of a black skirt and top under a red leather trench coat. The front of her hair was pinned to the top of her head and her makeup was simple considering her already pale complexion, only applying red lipstick and dark eyeshadow so her eyes looked a little sunk in.

"Wow Rarity, you look great!" Sunset greeted.

"Thank you, Sunset, I just finished getting ready." Rarity smiled, "Come in, leave your things by the door."

Sunset did as she was told and followed Rarity into the house. The entire main floor smelled like fresh baked cookies which heavily contrasted the football paraphernalia around the house. There were pictures on the walls of the entire family, Rarity, Sweetie Belle and their parents. Sunset frowned, she could no longer even recall what her adoptive parents even looked like, much less have any pictures from her childhood.

Once they got into Rarity's room, the purple haired girl pulled her chair from her desk and faced Sunset, "Now, take off your sweater and come have a seat so I can start with your hair."

Sunset nervously took off her sweater and sat in the chair, "Thank for doing this Rarity. I kind of feel bad for getting you up so early."

"Nonsense, dear." Rarity assured, "I'm usually up buy now anyway working on my designs."

Sunset smiled, relieved that she wasn't really her out.

"Alright," Rarity said after a few minutes, "I just made your hair a little more…rugged looking but it still looks fabulous, very you. Now, onto the makeup. A small warning, darling, this is going to take a while."

Sunset nodded and Rarity got to work.

The purple haired girl wasn't kidding when she said it was going to take a while. Sunset sat patiently however and both girls made an effort to make small talk but it was mostly silent as Rarity was 'in the zone'.

Almost an entire hour later, Rarity had Sunset open her mouth so she could add some fake wolf fangs that she assured Sunset she could take in and out throughout the day.

After she was done, Rarity stepped back to admire her work, "I have outdone myself. Your skin tone was absolutely perfect for this."

Rarity went and grabbed a mirror off of her dresser then gave it to Sunset. The flame haired girl looked into the mirror and gasped. It was true, Rarity had done a great job. With the use of red, yellow and brown face paint, Rarity had made it look as if she had thick hair around her face. She also made her eyebrows wilder. Rarity also used eyeliner and mascara to darken her eyes.

"So?" Rarity asked, "What do you think?"

"It's amazing Rarity!" Sunset smiled, "You made me look awesome!"

Rarity smiled brightly, bouncing on her toes, "I am so glad you like it, now, I have a surprise for you!" She sand as she ran to her closet and pulled out a red box with a yellow bow.

Sunset got up and faced Rarity as the other girl presented the package; "For me?"

The purple haired girl nodded, "Open it. Fluttershy and I spent days on this for you."

"You guys didn't have to do that." Sunset said, setting the box on the bed.

"Trust me, Sunset, we did." She said simply, gesturing at the box.

Sunset smiled but didn't argue any farther. She undid the bow and removed the lid. At first all she could see was black leather but after she lifted it out of the box she recognized it immediately. To be sure; she checked the tag on the jacket and sure enough, her cutie mark was drawn in black marker. Sunset was silent, gripping the jacket as if it was the last thing in the world.

"I know we should have told you it was us who took your jacket but you were still so distant." Rarity explained, "We figured you wouldn't let us fix it if we asked and Applejack had remembered your combination before you changed lockers. So…"

"Why did you do that for me?" Sunset asked with a shaky voice, obscuring her face with her hair.

"Because it was our fault that it got ruined, darling." Rarity said, putting an arm around Sunset's shoulders. "That jacket seems to mean a lot to you. I do hope you aren't angry with us."

Sunset shook her head and gave Rarity the brightest smile she has worn in a very long time. "No, I'm not even remotely angry. You're right, I would never have let you touch it and seeing it fixed just makes me _so_ happy." She scratched the back of her neck nervously, "W-would it be OK if I um… gave you a hug?"

Rarity laughed and hugged Sunset, "You _never_ have to ask to hug your friends, darling."

They pulled away only moments later and Sunset slipped on her jacket. It felt like slipping into an old skin, tarnished, but always comfortable.

"You and Fluttershy did a great job!" Sunset complimented, "Remind me to thank her later."

"I'm glad you like it." Rarity said with a smile but her expression changed to one of curiosity, "I know you've had that jacket since first coming here but, is there more to the story than just having it?"

"Yes, and no." She searched for the right words, "This jacket was always too big for me. I don't know why that thought makes me happy, but it does. I was able to grow with it. It was always the one constant I had in this world."

Rarity raised an eyebrow but left it at that. Glancing at her alarm clock she spoke, "It seems that it is time to start heading to school."

Sunset looked over to the clock, "Crap. I forgot to grab myself something to eat. You mind if we take a pit stop?"

Rarity slid her trench coat back on and shoved her extra makeup into a red hand bag, "I wouldn't mind a coffee myself."

"Alright then." Sunset said, now in a way better mood, "Let's go!"

After stopping for coffee and a jalapeno and cheese bagel for Sunset, they met the girls at the Wonder Colt statue. Sunset was amazed at what they all came up with.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie were the other two werewolves. They were dressed similarly to Sunset, except Applejack had a denim jacket with the sleeves ripped off and claw marks on the back of it. She also wore her usual hat but with wolf ears attached to it. Her arms and face had hair like markings on it and claws. As it turned out, Apple Bloom was quite the artist. Pinkie had a bright pink leather jacket that almost looked absurd except she had put pink hairy wolf ears over her own and had press on claws over her nails with a pink wolf mask.

It was obvious that Rainbow had helped Fluttershy with hers because the shy girl and Rainbow both had red contacts and vampire fangs. Rainbow however had slicked her multi colored bangs back, revealing her already present widows peak. Fluttershy had her hair down normal but it looked a little more disheveled. Rainbow had on a black trench coat with a hood that looked kind of cyber punk to Sunset. Fluttershy wore a red and black cloak over top of a black vest and a blood red dress shirt opposed to Rainbows blood red vest and black shirt.

Sunset smiled as she saw Principal Celestia awkwardly greeting students next to an unusually eccentric Vice-Principal. Luna was actually dressed like the human version of Nightmare Moon complete with the armor and snake-like green eyes. Celestia had on similar attire except she had had on a fiery orange-yellow wig and golden armor with a red gem in the head piece. Her eyes were now as yellow as the sun itself with slits for pupils.

Sunset approached the two women and smiled, "You two look great."

Luna took a royal-ish bow, "Why thank you, Miss Shimmer. At least someone appreciates my genius." She leaned in and whispered; "It was like pulling teeth to get my sister to dress up."

Sunset laughed, "You did a great job."

"As did you, Sunset." Celestia pipped in, "Are you going out with your friends tonight?"

Sunset smiled and nodded, "I'm actually not as nervous now."

"I'm glad." Celestia said, "You and your friends look wonderful."

"Sunset Shimmer!" Pinkie Pie yelled, "Group picture!"

"Sounds like you are needed elsewhere." Celestia said.

"Thanks." Sunset then ran off.

Sunset pulled Fluttershy into a surprise hug and thanked her for helping fix her jacket and apparently, Pinkie Pie then took it as license to initiate a group hug. Sunset, though she still felt a bit awkward, didn't pull away, just laughed with the rest of her friends.

The day passed without major incident, a few insults and shoves but nothing all that major. Sunset actually ended up eating with the girls as promised and acknowledged Pinkie as an _amazing_ baker. After lunch, Sunset set her art project on the teacher's desk and went to her usual station, next to which was the station Pinkie now claimed as her own.

Sunset was happy that she was a part of something like this. In the last couple periods, they had some kind of Halloween fair and the six girls went from station to station as if they had known each other for years. The fair ended around five and the girls headed out to Pinkie's house.

They all played party games and Sunset met her family who, apparently, were all rock enthusiasts. Sunset actually managed to keep up an hour-long conversation with Maud about rock formations. Some of what was said was actually interesting to Sunset. At some point, the girls were just sitting and listening in on the conversation, amazed at how intricate the two girls were to the point that only the two of them had any idea of what they were even saying.

Finally, Pinkie managed to get Sunset to wrap up their conversation and head out the door.

"Pinkie," Maud said before they left, "You have some pretty great friends."

"Wow Sunset," Pinkie said, as they walked down the side walk "You and Maud got along great!"

"Where in tarnation did you learn so much about rocks?" Applejack asked.

"No social life and a small budget for reading material." She replied with a smile.

"Wow," Rainbow said, "You are such an egghead."

Sunset stared at Rainbow for a moment before they both started to laugh.

When they got to their first house Pinkie lead the charge and rang the doorbell, "Trick or Treat!" All but Sunset said.

The nice woman gave them each a handful of candy and waved for them to have a good night.

"So," Sunset said, "You knock on the door, say 'trick or treat', get candy and leave?"

"Yep!" Pinkie answered, "You go and try the next one Sunset!"

"Wait what?" Sunset questioned frantically as Pinkie pushed her towards the next house.

"Look," Pinkie said grabbing Fluttershy as well, "Fluttershy will help you!"

"I will?" The other girl asked nervously but it was too late, Pinkie already had them both positioned in front of the door.

The both swallowed hard and looked at each other. "Together?" Sunset suggested.

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. They both knocked on the door and held their bags. When the door opened, they said 'trick or treat' at a remarkably loud volume, especially for Fluttershy. Once they all got their candy, they continued on, Sunset and Fluttershy near the back of the group.

"That was…nerve wracking." Sunset said.

"I know right?" Fluttershy agreed, "And we have another few hours of this."

Sunset noticed Fluttershy was nervous and honestly so was she. She couldn't wrap her head around knocking on the doors of complete strangers asking for treats. It just didn't make sense.

"Tell you what," Sunset started, "How about we take our turns together? I think it will be a lot less awkward if we did it together."

Fluttershy smiled, "That would be great, Thanks."

They smiled and continued on.


	21. Halloween Part 2

By the time they made it back to pinkie's house, their bags of Candy were heavy, well, most of them were. Pinkie had eaten at least a quarter of hers already.

They all took to the bubbly girl's room and formed a circle on the floor, dumping out their bags of candy to begin exchanging. Sunset was more or less at a loss with candy, never really indulging herself in sweets. This didn't go unnoticed by Pinkie.

"What's wrong, Sunset?" Pinkie asked, "Don't you like candy?"

Sunset shrugged, "That's just it, I don't think I've had candy since before I started to teach myself magic and in human years…" She counted on her fingers, "I was six, maybe seven?"

"Almost ten years!" Rainbow exclaimed, almost as surprised as Pinkie.

"Yep." Sunset thought for a moment, "Now that I think about it, I never really had many sweets. Maybe an occasional pudding and cupcake but that's it."

Pinkie didn't say anything, instead, she grabbed a few pieces from everyone's pile and put it in Sunset's lap, "Tonight, you will be educated in candy! You will try them all!"

Sunset looked at the pile in her lap then at the other girls, even they thought it was too much.

"I can't eat all of this in one night, I'll make myself sick." Sunset said honestly.

"Yeah," Rainbow said, "Not everyone has your tolerance for candy."

Pinkie nodded, "Ok… two thirds!"

Sunset rolled her eyes but held a smile, "I think I can manage that."

The red head regretted her words. As it turns out, over ten years of a fairly healthy diet did not condition her stomach for massive amounts of sugar because, a couple hours later, she felt a little queasy. Maud had passed by the room when Sunset was curled into a ball and grabbed her some Advil and water from the kitchen to which Sunset accepted graciously. That was one thing Sunset liked about the human world; fast acting medication.

"So," Pinkie said scribbling into a notebook, "Sunset can't handle a lot of sugar."

"What's that book, Pinkie?" Sunset asked.

"It's my party book." She bounced over and showed it to sunset as the others were otherwise distracted with either video games or doing their nails, "I have a page for everyone I know. What they like, what they don't, allergies, anniversaries, birthdays, stuff like that." She flipped to the newest entry, "This is your page! You are a vegetarian, don't like mushrooms though, your favorite desert is chocolate pudding, you're great at art and you are super nice to animals!"

"Wow, Pinkie." Sunset smiled, "How do you know all this."

"It's a secret!" She giggled, much to Sunset's confusion.

"Sunset," Rainbow said from over by the TV and console, "You wanna give it a try?"

"Me?" she asked, "But I've never played a video game before."

Rainbow sighed, "I'm not even surprised anymore." She grabbed Sunset and yanked her over between her and Applejack, "It's really easy, you're playing a fighting game so, you really just need to button mash until you figure it out!"

"Look," Applejack held her remote out for Sunset to see once she started up the game, "This one moves your character and these four either punch kick or grab. The rest of the buttons you'll figure out on your own."

Sunset nodded and took the controller Rainbow was holding out for her. At first, she was really slow on the uptake but after a few rounds, she was actually landing hits. A few hours later, she was _actually_ putting up a challenge, much to Applejack and Rainbow Dash's surprise.

"You learn quick." Rainbow said frantically pressing buttons on her controller.

"You have to if you're going to learn how to survive in a completely different dimension." Sunset said, killing off Rainbow Dash's character.

"Ha, Beginner's luck." Rainbow dash said, then she and Sunset yawned.

"Sounds like it's time for bed." Pinkie yawned, "We should probably get all this face paint and makeup off first."

It took the girls over an hour to get all of the makeup off. Those who were done first ended up having to help the others because their hands were getting tired but finally they did it. Afterwards they laid out their sleeping bags and hunkered down for the night.

"So how was your first Halloween and sleep over?" Pinkie Pie asked.

Sunset smiled despite knowing no one could see her. "It's actually been really fun. I'm glad you invited me."

"Me too." Fluttershy pipped in, "I would never have had the courage to knock on all those doors alone."

"And I think I have an actually challenging opponent at that there fightin' game." Applejack said.

"I also loved seeing your face when you took out your jacket." Rarity said, "Seeing my friends smile like that is what I _live_ for."

"Me too!" Pinkie said, "And you actually make friends really easily! You and Maud got along great!"

"Please, I do not make friends easily." Sunset said, "I avoided you guys for weeks!"

"That's _totally_ different." Rainbow said, "You were just afraid you didn't deserve it but you came around."

"Yes," Rarity said, "Tonight you acted like…well, another teenager having a good time with friends, instead of being scared about what others might think. You and Maud just started up a conversation and she liked you for who you are."

"But she doesn't know how I was a month ago." Sunset retorted.

"Yes, she does." Pinkie said, "I usually told her about the things you did since freshman year _and_ after the fall formal but I also told her about how super nice you are now!"

"Really?" Sunset said, a little shocked that anyone would even want to _talk_ with someone who had treated their sister the way she did.

"Yeah," Pinkie explained, "She was really upset when I told her I invited you over. She looked super happy after your chat though!"

Rainbow snickered, "I could see that."

Rarity leaned in to Sunset to whisper; "Pinkie is the only one who can read Maud's expressions."

Applejack leaned over from the other side of Sunset, "You get used her…personality."

Sunset was confused but she remained silent. _So, this is what having friends feels like. I don't want to lose this._

 _"Can you feel it?"_ a demonic voice spoke as Sunset floated in the blackness.

"Feel what?" Sunset asked fearfully, "Who are you?"

 _"You already know that answer, you just hope you're wrong."_ The voice spoke, _"As for the other, magic of course."_

"No," Sunset said, "Twilight took the crown back to Equestria. There isn't magic here anymore."

 _"Oh, that's what you think?"_ Sunset knew the voice now, it was hers. No. It was her demon's. _"You put on the crown, you gave this world magic and now it's closer to you than you would like."_

"You're wrong." Sunset said adamantly.

 _"Am I? Or do you not want me to be?"_ The demon questioned.

"I don't want that temptation again." Sunset said, "I like having friends. I don't want to be the power crazed person I used to be. I don't want to hurt people! I don't' want to get my friends hurt!" Tears stung at her eyes.

 _"Ah, Sunset."_ It said, _"You will see that you have no choice in whether or not there is magic. It's already a part of you. As for your friends…"_

The scene changed and Sunset was standing by the statue, right behind her demon as it stood against her new friends and Princess Twilight. The demon formed the ball of flame in her hands.

"NO!" Sunset shouted, "Stop! Don't hurt them!"

 _"If you want to protect your friends so much;"_ She looked at Sunset and chucked the ball, "SAVE THEM!"

The ball made contact and exploded.

"Sunset!" Rainbow called, shaking her shoulder.

Sunset's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, connecting Rainbow's forehead with her own.

"Rainbow!" Sunset gasped as she and Rainbow rubbed their heads, the other girls sitting in their sleeping bags watching the two, "I am so sorry. What were you doing so close?"

"Ow." She grumbled, "Trying to wake you up, obviously. You looked like you were having a nightmare."

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Sunset said quietly.

"Why are you apologizing, Sunset?" Rarity asked, "You were having a nightmare. You can't control your dreams."

Sunset sighed, "Yeah I know, but It's not exactly an irregular occurrence, I'm just not used to people waking me up from one."

"Irregular occurrence?" Fluttershy questioned, "How often does this happen?"

Sunset hugged her knees, "Every night since the formal. But I'm fine, really. I'm just working through some stuff."

"Did ya tell Principal Celestia?" Applejack asked, "She's supposed to be your councilor ain't she?"

"No, I haven't told her." Sunset said, "I can handle it myself."

"No offence, dear," Rarity spoke, "But if you've had nothing but nightmares for an entire month, you need to talk to someone about it."

"I'm talking to you about it." Sunset pointed out.

"Are you going to tell us what they are about?" Rarity inquired.

Sunset stopped for a moment, "I see your point."

"Look," Rainbow stepped in, "I know us being your friends is really new to you and it will take a while for you to open up like we do. But you do trust Principal Celestia so I think you need to talk to her."

Sunset raised a brow, not because she was confused, she thought it was a sound point but it was odd hearing such heartfelt, yet true, words from Rainbow Dash of all people. However, Rainbow did usually show her softer side when she cared so coming from her, it was a lot.

"You have a point." Sunset resolved, "I will tell you guys when I'm ready, OK?"

Everyone nodded in agreement and initiated a group hug. But Sunset knew she couldn't hold it in for much longer, that she really can't figure it out on her own. Her friendships, however, were so new she didn't want to upset them. So, she resolved to talking to Principal Celestia as soon as Monday rolled around in hopes that she will put things into perspective.


	22. Familiarity

Celestia was happy that Halloween was finally finished. Luna and Chrysalis forced her to partake in haunted houses, corn mazes and horror movies. Only one of which she was alright with, she honestly thought corn mazes were fun. She'd seen Sunset and her friends walking down the street and was glad to see her laughing and having fun like a normal teenager.

It was now Monday once again and she had received a message from Sunset saying she wanted to talk to her and she was more than happy to oblige. Still, Celestia wanted to do more for her but that wasn't going to happen as soon as she'd like.

To Sunset, the morning seemed to drone on forever. Fellow classmates still gave her dirty looks and the odd snide remark but it seemed to be a little less...violent now. Sure, a few students purposefully bumped into her but Sunset was surprised that no one attempted to shove her in a locker or knock books out of her hands. Though it might have something to do with her current demeanor.

Her dream from Halloween still weighed heavily on her mind. _'Can you feel it?'_ her demon-self had asked, _'magic'_. Sunset wasn't sure how to make of it; _This world doesn't have magic. Twilight took it back with her when she took her crown back to Equestria._ She mulled it over for the majority of her class but then, her thoughts returned to the last thing the demon had told her _'save them'_.

When the lunch bell rang she shoved her thoughts aside, looking forward to her chat with the Principal. She chuckled to herself, _said no one ever._

Overall, Sunset had a good weekend with her friends had decided she needed to make an actual effort to get along with them. They can only be patient for so long. Sunset surprised all five of the girls by stopping at the wonder colt statue in the morning and actually talked with them until the bell rang for class.

Since coming to Canterlot High, Sunset took to eating her lunch alone on the top floor of the library. It was the same space she had fled to the day before Halloween. Today though, as a part of her making an effort, she found herself standing at the doors of the cafeteria. Sure, she ate lunch there on Halloween, but she still felt nervous, not of the five girls, but the other students. It was the one place, even when she was a bully, that Sunset left everyone alone.

 _Come on, Sunset,_ she told herself, _if you want to make an effort, you have to brave the cafeteria._ Sunset shook her head and sighed, _I'm being really stupid about this._

Without so much as a second thought, she opened the doors to the overcrowded room. Students were talking amongst their friends; having foregone the class system she'd created. It actually made her happy, seeing the other students hanging with who they wanted without fear.

She stood in line and grabbed her lunch then scanned the cafeteria, quickly spotting her friends and walked over. Sunset could feel the hard stares of the students but she did her best to ignore them. Once she approached the table, Rarity and Applejack smiled and waved her over.

"Sunset!" Rarity said with glee, "I'm so glad to see you're finally joining us!"

Sunset smiled at her, "Me too." She said, taking an empty seat next to Applejack.

"Are you feeling any better, sugar cube?" Applejack asked her.

She sighed, "About friendship? Yes. About my dream? Not so much. I can't stop thinking about it!"

"I do wish that you would share it with us, Sunset." Rarity said, "I understand that you have always been a private person, but we just want to help."

"I know, Rarity." Sunset smiled, "I really appreciate you giving me this chance. I just... I don't know, let me talk with Principal Celestia about it first. I promise, I will tell you when I'm ready."

 _Or if magic really does start to show up in this world._ Sunset thought.

They turned the conversation to something more upbeat. Mostly, they were asking Sunset a few questions about herself, everyone was careful to avoid asking her about Equestria, unsure how the girl would react to bringing up her old life.

When the lunch bell rang, the six girls exited the cafeteria together, splitting off from the group as they reached their classroom or hallway. Fluttershy and Pinkie walked with Sunset to the office where, surprisingly, Principal Celestia was waiting for her. Usually, she would wait for her inside her office.

"Sunset," Celestia greeted with a smile at seeing her with the other two girls, "It's nice to see you with friends."

All Sunset could do was smile sheepishly.

"Sunset is actually really fun to be around!" Pinkie said excitedly, "Even though she's still all secretive!" Pinkie leaned over to whisper to Principal Celestia, "I'm wearing her down though."

Principal Celestia chuckled, "I'm glad to hear it." She turned to Sunset who was off to the side, smiling, "Sunset, are you ready?"

She nodded and started to follow Celestia into the office.

"We'll wait for you out here." Fluttershy said, just loud enough for the other three to hear.

"Thanks, guys." Sunset smiled, then disappeared in the office.

"Principal Celestia acts differently with Sunset, doesn't she?" Fluttershy questioned.

"Yeah! She's super nice to her. She looked so proud when she mentioned 'friends'!" Pinkie replied, "Oh! Do you think Principal Celestia took on some sort of motherly role for Sunset?"

Fluttershy sat on a nearby bench to think, "Well, she _does_ seem to care about her well-being. It's possible I guess. Sunset's situation is complicated enough."

"Yeah, Principal Celestia probably knows she doesn't have any parents in this world. I mean, why else would she insist on being her emergency contact? Besides, the synopsis clearly mentions something about her possibly getting a family!"

Fluttery looked at Pinkie, clearly confused. "Synopsis?"

Pinkie suddenly turned serious; "You heard nothing."

The author sighed; _Pinkie Pie really needs to stop doing that._

Sunset sat in Principal Celestia's office while the older woman had gone to get them some tea. As soon as Sunset mentioned that she had a nightmare that was bugging her, Celestia immediately suggested the hot drink, claiming it would help her relax. Honesty, Sunset was grateful, she preferred tea over coffee sometimes.

Once she returned, she set the tray on her desk and gestured for Sunset to take a cup.

When she did, she took a small sip, "Chamomile." Sunset stated.

Celestia raised a brow, "You're familiar with the brew? Honestly, I took you for more of a coffee drinker.

Sunset shook her head, "I really only drink coffee in the mornings and when I'm up studying." She explained, "If I want something hot or to relax; I usually drink tea. Chai is my go to."

"Interesting." Celestia hummed. "Now, tell me about this dream you had."

Sunset took one more sip from her cup and placed it on the desk, "It was that demon again, from the formal but this was different. She asked me if I could feel it. Magic."

"Oh?" Celestia questioned, "Didn't Twilight bring the magic back to...um..."

"Equestria." Sunset offered.

Principal Celestia nodded.

"Yeah," Sunset looked uneasy, "At least that's what I thought."

"What do you mean?"

Sunset bit her lip, "Magic can leave remnants of itself everywhere. Even so, the portal on this end still activates so there has always been a sliver of magic in this world. It's possible, that in me bringing the crown here, I exposed this world to it."

Celestia took a moment to process. She was no expert in magic. Up until almost a month ago; she didn't even know it existed. She studied Sunset's expression; she seemed to be internally panicking.

"Sunset," Celestia got her attention, "At the present moment, I believe you're over thinking things. It was just a dream and though maybe there might be some truth behind it, you need to focus on the present."

Sunset sighed, "Honestly, I would usually think that too but..." She trailed off.

Celestia raised a brow, "There's something else?"

"Yeah..." She ran her fingers through her hair, "Ever since the formal, I felt something... off. I'm not sure how to explain it but something changed, not just with me. This world feels different. Originally, I thought it was the fact that I was seeing things in a new light. Now, I'm not so sure."

"So, you're saying that you think your dream was trying to tell you something?" Celestia asked.

Sunset nodded, "Only, I just don't want to be right. In Equestria, there are three species of ponies; unicorns, Pegasus ponies and earth ponies. They each had their own magic; earth ponies were strong and had what you would call a green thumb. The Pegasus ponies control the weather, fly and walk on the clouds. The unicorns, through their horns, could control the raw magic floating around in the atmosphere. Unicorns are the only types of ponies that can use magic directly other than the Alicorn princess."

"If that's true," Celestia replied, "Why are you so concerned of magic coming here? We don't have any of those. Well, we do have regular ponies but they don't have wings or horns."

"Because I don't know anything about humans!" Sunset threw her arms up in the air, "I mean, I'm a unicorn but here I'm human. Princess Twilight was an Alicorn but she ended up turning human here too. Not to mention the fact that Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy _and_ Rainbow were all able to use magic against me at the fall formal! _I_ used magic at the fall formal!"

Celestia looked at Sunset once she finished her rant. She sincerely wanted to help her with this situation but wasn't sure how. From what she could deduce though, it wasn't really the magic itself that scared her.

"Sunset," Celestia said, finally, "What is it that is _really_ bothering you about this."

"I just-" Sunset tried but Celestia stopped her.

"Don't tell me it's because of what it might do if regular people were to use it, I already know." Celestia told her, "What is it, Sunset?"

Sunset gripped her knees; "I know if anyone here had magic they could probably handle it but..." She sighed, "What if _I_ try to use it to my advantage again? I could turn into that demon again! Then what? I hurt even more people? I don't know if, even as I am now, I can restrain myself!"

"Now, Sunset," Celestia said in a stern tone, one that surprised Sunset, "We've been over this before. You are not the same person you were a month ago. I cannot just sit here and watch you tear yourself apart for something that I, and your friends know you won't do."

Sunset was frozen, unsure of how to respond. She was trying to place the tone in Principal Celestia's voice. It wasn't _her_ voice though, it's not a voice she'd ever heard Princess Celestia use. It was...a softer kind of stern. Like she was genuinely concerned and a little upset.

Then it hit her, _She sounds like... my Mom when I was a filly._

It made Sunset upset. Not because of the memory itself, but because it was just that; a memory. It reminded her just how alone she was now.

"How do you know?" Sunset snapped, raising to her feet, "How could you _possibly_ know that? You don't know me! No one does! Not really. The formal was a month ago! That isn't enough time for any normal person to change! For all we know, I could be back to my regular demonic self tomorrow! I'm a monster! You know it, I know it, the entire school knows it!"

There were angry tears in Sunset's eyes, she wasn't thinking, just angerly yelling at the Principal.

Celestia however, remained calm. On the outside, at least. Inside, though, she was desperately trying to figure out how to calm Sunset down. _Was I too stern? No. I've been frank with her before. Something has changed._

Sunset gritted her teeth, unable to stop all of these seemingly random emotions from spilling out. When she looked Principal Celestia in the eyes, her expression was angry but her eyes were almost... sad.

Celestia got up from her desk to walk around and place a hand on Sunset's shoulder, "Sunset, listen to me. You are not that demon from the fall formal. You are the beautiful, smart and artistic girl that has been coming to me since I offered to council you. Trust me, Sunset, I know how you're feeling right now but you must know, you are not that person anymore."

Sunset looked up to Celestia and had a small memory flash in her mind of her mom and the Princess. She didn't know why this was upsetting her so much but she also didn't mind the comparison. It gave her a warm feeling.

"How would you know how I'm feeling?" Sunset asked, looking at the ground.

"You remind me a lot of myself and Luna at your age." Celestia said, "We eventually changed too."

Sunset smiled. She could tell that was the truth. Celestia never lied to her and if a subject was touchy, she would say so.

At that moment, Sunset really wanted to hug Celestia but for some reason, she wasn't sure about it.

Celestia saw the look on Sunset's face and understood what she wanted, pulling her into a hug that Sunset immediately returned.

"Thank you." Sunset said quietly, squeezing a little tighter, "Sorry I yelled, I just felt really lonely all of a sudden."

Celestia kept her arms around the girl, "Why's that?"

Sunset bit her lip debating on whether or not to tell her but resolved to do so, "It was the tone you were using, it kind of reminded me of my adoptive mom."

Celestia froze for a moment, _I reminded her of her...mom?_

When Celestia didn't respond, Sunset pulled out of the hug and managed to play it cool, "Sorry, I guess you're the first adult that's actually cared about me in a long time."

Celestia gave her a warm smile, "Don't be. Anyone would be lucky to call you their daughter."

Sunset could feel herself blush but she smiled.

After another few minutes of talking, Sunset left the office, and walked off with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. All three girls were chatting happily.

Celestia watched them, particularly Sunset, and smiled.

"I heard a lot of yelling." Celestia turned to see Luna standing beside her. The younger sister smiled, "You really do care about her, don't you?"

Celestia sighed, "I just want to see her succeed. She's so smart and creative. I'm just afraid she's going to focus on just surviving out of high school. She has to know she can't stay in that building much longer, so that means she's probably going to get a full-time job right out of high school. She won't even consider collage."

Luna rolled her eyes, "Is that all." Celestia glared at her. "I'm sorry. I think you're right though, without the proper assistance, she is going to end up throwing away the bright future she has."

Celestia looked at her sister, "Do we really need to wait an entire month?"

Luna sighed, defeated but smiled, "To make it legal? Yes. It depends if you want to chance her saying no and running off."

Luna wouldn't admit but she and Celestia both shared the same thought.

They need to get Sunset out of her living situation as soon as possible.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey! I thought you should know that Scars has officially hit 50 chapters and rising! Haha, it's Easter and I'm writing Christmas which will be posted in July. There is something really messed up about that fact. I'm pretty sure, in total, Scars will be roughly 64 chapters.**

 **In other news, I am already planning my next fic and I want to know; who reading this likes the Marvel Universe?**


	23. Fear and Confusion

Rainbow slumped down at the lunch table and sighed. Ever since the school had announced the musical showcase last week; she'd worked to find members to be in the band she was putting together. The only problem was that most of the people in the school that she knew had musical talent were already in a band. However, she knew Rarity could play an instrument and Fluttershy had the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard. The others, she wasn't really sure, though she seemed to recall them talking about it before. She made a mental note to ask them later.

There was, however, one person she wasn't sure about; Sunset Shimmer. Rainbow wanted to ask her to be in the band too but was unsure of how to approach it. She wasn't even sure if Sunset could sing or even play an instrument. Though, she could always ask Flash Sentry, they did date after all.

However, none of that mattered with her current problem: her guitar. She loved to play, even annoyed her parents sometimes for how loud she cranked her amp. Just last night, she was shedding some sick cords when her baby's neck snapped.

"Howdy there, Rainbow." Applejack greeted, the other girls had yet to arrive. "Why so glum?"

"It's my guitar." Rainbow pouted, "The neck broke on it."

"Can't you just buy a new one?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah. I'm just sad to see her go. We've been through a lot together. Sports camp, losing you guys, finding out I was… y'know. Then there was the day I realized I liked-" she stopped before she revealed too much, "Anyway, I'm going to the mall after school to get a new one."

"Did I hear you're going to the mall after school?" Rarity asked.

Rainbow nodded.

"I think I will join you. I need some inspiration for a new line I'm working on." Rarity said.

"Oh! Me too!" Pinkie said as she bounced over to the table, followed by Sunset and Fluttershy.

"Ok," Rainbow turned to Sunset, "You in?"

"The mall?" Sunset shook her head, "I can't. I will be at the mall but I have to work."

Rainbow frowned a bit but then turned to Fluttershy, "How 'bout you, Shy? You want to come to the mall with the rest of us after school?"

She smiled, "Of course."

Rainbow smiled brightly, resisting the urge to hug her, "Awesome! We can all go together!"

"Yes," Rarity added, "We can walk Sunset to work and then head to the music store." She paused to look at Sunset, "That is, if it's alright with you."

Sunset smiled, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Yeah!" Pinkie cheered, "Sunny's on board!"

"Sunny?" Sunset questioned.

"It's you're new nickname, silly!" Pinkie said, "I always give my friends nick names. Do you like it?"

"Yeah." She smiled.

Rarity squealed with delight, "Sorry. I'm just happy you're finally coming out of your shell."

"Yeah," Applejack commented, "You've even been sittin' with us at lunch every day now."

"And you've been smiling a lot!" Pinkie said, "Like a real smile! Not that one you used when you were all evil or when you were pretending to be OK. No offence."

"It's fine." Sunset frowned, still feeling a pang of guilt. She was right though, she was a lot happier now.

When the lunch bell finally rang, everyone split off to their different classes.

When school finally ended, all the girls met at the wonder colt statue. Sunset was the last to arrive as she usually waited for everyone else to leave until she got changed. She found she would prefer to stay in the safety around the Coach instead of being cornered in the locker room by the students that hated her.

As Sunset saw her friends, she felt a jolt in her spine. Something was different all of a sudden, she could feel it. What it was, was almost a complete mystery. For now, though, she decided to brush it off.

The five girls greeted Sunset with a smile then the six of them all walked to the bus stop. The entire ride, all together was about twenty-six minutes, giving them plenty of time to talk.

"So, I need a cool new guitar so I can make a band!" Rainbow smiled as she finished telling the girls about what she wanted to do for the showcase, "Now I just need a bass, drummer, some backup singers and…maybe a couple more instruments. Do you guys play any?"

"Well," Applejack spoke, "I play the bass."

"Really?" Rainbow asked, "I thought you only played the banjo and…" she snickered, "Granny's old wash board."

Applejack shot Rainbow a glare while the other four girls snickered. Even Sunset knew it was a joke. Soon, Applejack smiled and gave Rainbow a playful punch.

"OK, So, we have bass guitar!" Rainbow cheered and looked at Fluttershy with a smile, "Fluttershy can sing!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened in terror, "Me? Sing? Nononono, I _can't_ sing. Not with all those people watching."

"Come on, Shy!" Rainbow begged, "You're the best singer I know! You _have_ to be in the band!"

"I won't sing!" She said adamantly.

"I don't know, Fluttershy." Sunset was the one who spoke up, "I've heard you sing too. You have a beautiful voice. Everyone would love you."

Rainbow gave Sunset a thankful look, "See, even Sunset thinks you would do great!"

Fluttershy shook her head, "I'm sorry, but my answer is no."

Rainbow frowned and mumbled a 'fine', then shifted so she was looking out the window having lost her excitement.

 _Wow, she really wanted Fluttershy to join._ Sunset thought to herself.

She watched Rainbow sneak a glance at Fluttershy and sigh. Sunset looked at Applejack who was shaking her head in disappointment at the two.

 _No way._ Sunset thought as she came to the conclusion as to what was going on, _I'll have to ask Applejack about it later._

The five girls smiled and waved bye to Sunset as she disappeared into the sushi restaurant.

Rarity smiled, "She sure has come a long way in such a short time."

"Yeah." Rainbow said, "She's a _lot_ nicer and really fun to talk to when you actually get her talking."

Fluttershy nodded, "I know what you mean. When she was helping me at the animal shelter, she was so sweet to the pets. You'd be surprised at how many of the rescue animals were ones she brought in. Rookie was all over her when he saw her."

"Rookie?" Rainbow questioned, "Wasn't he that one that was rescued form a gang?"

Fluttershy nodded, "Sunset was the one who saved him."

Applejack smacked her cheeks, "I know you told us this before but I never actually believed it."

"Actually," Rarity said, "Lately, since we all started to spend time with Sunset, there are a lot of people who never even knew she was a bully."

The others nodded in agreement.

"Even the Principal seems to want to help her." Added Fluttershy, "Principal Celestia seems to really care about her."

"Yeah, like she _totally_ acts like she's Sunset's Mom!" Pinkie said, "They share secrets, and Principal Celestia gives her advice. Whenever she sees her helping Ms. Cheerilee or hanging out with us she always looks super proud of her!"

"Yes, I've seen it too." Fluttershy said, "Yesterday before she went in to talk to Principal Celestia, we were all talking and I could see it in Celestia's eyes. Even Sunset seems to think of her as a parental figure."

"That would be just lovely!" Rarity smiled, "Now that I think of it, they actually do act alike."

Rainbow shrugged, "I hope it works out for Sunset. She _is_ always alone when she's not with us."

"Wait." Applejack said, "Doesn't that _technically_ make 'er an orphan."

The group stopped walking, all finally coming to the same revelation.

"Wow." Rainbow said, "That's…harsh."

"Yes," Rarity frowned, "And she's been that way since middle school."

They all exchanged depressed glances.

After they fully absorbed the fact that Sunset was an orphan, they went to get Rainbow Dash her new guitar. There, they ran into Trixie and the two of them ended up getting into a riff-off.

Much to the girls' surprise, Rainbow got into her music and grew pony ears, a tail and wings just like the night of the fall formal. It was cool, yes, but they were confused as to why it happened in the first place.

"Sunset!" Rainbow called as they entered the sushi restaurant, her wings and ears now gone.

Since Princess Twilight had gone back to Equestria; Sunset was the only other one the girls could think of that would be able to tell them what was going on, however small the chance.

Sunset smiled at them and gestured for them to sit at the bar stools at her work station until she could find a minute to talk.

The girls obliged and waited patiently for Sunset to become less busy. A few minutes later Sunset walked over to them with a pad and pen to look like she was actually working.

"What's up?" Sunset studied their nervous expressions.

"Something strange just happened to Rainbow Dash." Rarity said in a hushed voice.

"What do you mean 'strange'?" She questioned.

Pinkie Pie took her phone out and held it for Sunset to see the video.

At first it was only Rainbow and Trixie having a musical battle but then, Sunset's eyes widened in both shock and fear as Rainbow's eyes glowed mid guitar solo, growing wings and pony ears then blasted out a magical sound wave. The guitar she was playing glowed too as it took on a new paint job.

Sunset was unsure of what to do so she stayed silent.

"Do you have any idea why this happened?" Applejack asked, "I know it's been a while since ya actually used…uh… 'good' magic, no offence, but you are the only one who actually knows anythin' about it."

Sunset bit her lip, _I did this. I brought magic here._ The word of the demon echoed in her mind, _'You put on the crown, you gave this world magic and now it's closer to you than you would like.'_

Sunset brought her free hand to her mouth, "What have I done."

The others exchanged concerned glances.

"Sunset? Darling? What's wrong?" Rarity asked.

Sunset didn't answer. She was having a hard-enough time keeping herself composed.

It took another moment for the rest of the girls to clue in on what was happened.

"Oh." Rainbow said finally.

"S-sorry." Sunset said quietly, "I…I have to go."

She rushed off into the back, only to emerge a few minutes later in her regular attire. She spoke to her boss for a few seconds, explaining that she didn't feel well so she had to go home. He agreed as this was the first time since she was hired that she needed a sick day. He even promised to pay her for her entire shift.

Sunset dashed out of the mall only to find her friends standing outside waiting for her.

Rarity was the first to corner her; "You can't possibly think this is your fault."

"How do you figure?" Sunset asked through clenched teeth, hanging her head. When they didn't say anything Sunset continued. "When you bring an element of harmony into another world, it grants the user unimaginable power. That's why I took it. However, the element connected with you five and Twilight. What I assume has happened, is that in bringing it here, I exposed this world to Equestrian magic."

Sunset sighed, _If that demon was right and there really is magic in this world, it's because of me. I don't want it to fall into the wrong hands. My_ _hands. If rainbow has magic now…_ She scanned the girls, _They will soon as well._

"If that's true," Rainbow said, "Then you could help us figure it out."

"Don't you get it?" Sunset snapped, "It's here _because_ of me, because I didn't know how to control it! I can't be trusted around it. I'm like a ticking time bomb! I could try to use it for personal gain and we will be right back to where we started. I won't do that to you. I _can't_ hurt the first people to care about me in years!"

Sunset started to walk off towards the stop but Fluttershy stopped her, "Wait, you're from that world. Wouldn't that mean you would have magic now too?"

"For all our sakes…" Sunset felt a tear fall, "I hope I don't. I need to go; the bus will be here soon."

"Are you going to start avoiding us again?" Rainbow asked, anger and hurt written on her face.

Sunset shook her head, "Of course not. I love hanging out with all of you. I just need to think about how to approach this. I want to be sure I won't turn into… _that_ again."

Even though Sunset was confused, she let them give her a comforting hug before they waved her off.

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey! Just a heads up I have started doing 2 things.**

 **One is im starting to use Tumblr again! This is to keep everyone up to date on my new projects including a regular novel i'm planning and want to get published.**

 **Second thing, I'm also using twitter again cuz why the hell not.**

 **Both are under my pen name: J Wolf Silver. Just look for my emblem!**


	24. Needed Council

Celestia and Luna were in the study late on Wednesday evening, finishing up their paperwork. They didn't get a lot of it done throughout the school day, because they were a little preoccupied with other matters. That matter of which was absent from school and it concerned both women.

Sunset was a studious student. Usually, when she was going to be absent, she would call it in. Today however, there was no word from the girl. Luna had even asked Fluttershy if any of them knew where she was, but according to her Sunset hadn't contacted anyone that day.

Now, as she was finishing up the last bit of her paperwork, Celestia's cell phone started to ring. Needless to say, she was surprised and relieved to see Sunset's name on the screen.

"Who is it?" Luna asked.

"Sunset." She said as she picked it up and pressed talk.

Luna raised an eyebrow as Celestia started talking.

"Hello?" Celestia greeted.

 _"_ _Hey, I know it's late but I just needed to talk to someone."_ Sunset greeted from the other end.

Celestia glanced at Luna before responding, "It's not a problem, Sunset. I gave you my personal number for a reason."

She could hear the girl sigh, _"I…remember the other day when I told you about my dream?"_

Celestia nodded despite knowing she couldn't see her, "Yes. What's happened?"

 _"_ _The girls were at the mall yesterday and Rainbow Dash grew wings and pony ears like at the formal. Only this time, she was playing her guitar."_ Sunset explained, _"They came and told me right away, which I appreciate but..."_

"You're afraid of the magic." Celestia finished.

 _"_ _It's not the magic I'm afraid of, not exactly. Like I said on Monday, I'm afraid of what I might do. I don't want to become a demon again."_ She began to rant. _"The worst part of it is that I brought the magic here and I didn't know how to control it!"_ Celestia could hear Sunset's voice start to break, _"Then, yesterday, Fluttershy said something that makes sense but… it scares me."_

"Let me guess," Celestia commented in a soothing tone, "there is a possibility you could have it now too."

 _"_ _Yeah. I was thinking about it and, the thing that scares me the most is that I was kind of happy that there is magic here. Actually, I kind of miss it. The good kind, not the kind I used at the formal. Still, what would I do if I actually had magic again? I know, I'm not the same person, but I also don't have the temptation either. There is a possibility that under the circumstances, I could revert back to how I used to be."_ She sighed, _"Or, I will still be me and actually do some good with it."_

Celestia smiled at the last sentence but she could admit that Sunset did actually make a sound argument. "Let me ask you this; what do you want? Say you had magic in your hands right now; what would you do with it?"

 _"_ _I guess…I don't know. I might end up getting really lazy and use it to levitate stuff and teleport but I can't think of anything I would particularly want to do with it. I've never really given it much thought. I've been without it for so long now, it's not really something I think of using."_ Sunset chuckled, _"Except when it's cold and I miss my bus and have to walk to school."_

Celestia smiled, "See? That there, Sunset, is why I believe you will chose to do good with it, despite the temptation. Not once did you say you wanted to do something negative." She sighed contently, "Listen to me, Sunset, I know when you think about it, you miss having that kind of power but have you ever thought it's because you had grown up with it?"

 _"_ _I don't understand."_ Sunset admitted.

"You grew up with magic, Sunset." Celestia explained, "It was a part of you for so long. A part of everyday life where you are from. It's only natural, from time to time, for you to miss it."

Sunset was silent, obviously contemplating what Celestia said, _"I never thought of it that way. I still want to be sure though. The last thing I want is to lose the people trying to help me. This is kind of why I wasn't at school today. I didn't trust myself."_

"I was starting to come to that conclusion when you called me." She said.

 _"_ _Thanks for letting me talk this through. I needed an adult point of view. I kept thinking I was being ridiculous and the girls would just try to make me feel better. Rainbow just thinks it's cool. I just needed someone that would give me logical reasoning as to why I wasn't going to misuse magic again."_

"I'm always happy to help you, Sunset." Celestia assured her, "Still, I can't help but notice that sometimes you sound older than you are. Any regular teenager would go to their friends for advice. Not look for logic from their councilor, much less principal."

 _"_ _I'm technically a unicorn."_ Sunset said frankly, _"I am far from a 'regular teenager'. Anyway, I think I need a couple more days to mull this over. Thanks again."_

"You're welcome." Celestia said, "You should get some rest."

 _"_ _Sure, Thanks."_ Sunset replied, _"Night."_

"Goodnight, Sunset." Celestia said then ended the call.

"It's really easy to forget Sunset is from an alternate universe." Luna commented, "Most of that conversation sounded absolutely crazy. I almost wanted to call the psych ward."

Celestia rolled her eyes, "Sunset was concerned about magic here. Apparently, Rainbow Dash grew wings yesterday."

"Well that's an interesting development." Luna mused.

"Indeed." Nodded Celestia.

"Is she going to be alright?" Luna questioned, "Emotionally I mean."

"Yes." Celestia said, "The more I get to know her, the more I see us at that age. However, I also see how much stronger she is than us. She could have handled every situation she had a lot worse than she has but she still pushes through and looks to be better."

"I'm just glad we have that meeting with Chrysalis next week." Luna said, "Even _I'm_ starting to worry. Besides, it might be nice to have someone else in the house. It's always too quiet for my liking."

Celestia smirked, "I feel as though you would try to corrupt her with your video games."

Luna snorted but didn't deny that fact, "I think it's really sweet that she called you, Tia. It's just like you calling Mom with a problem while you were in college."

Celestia blushed, "W-well…don't you have paperwork to do or some raid for your game?"

Luna laughed but focused her attention to the papers in front of her. Celestia packed her finished work into her briefcase then waved goodnight to her sister, going to get ready for bed.

Before she entered her room, Celestia peered down the hallway at the guest room, it's door, as usual, was slightly ajar. She walked from her room and pushed open the door to the guest room, turning on the light.

She sat on the edge of the bed, centered on the right wall. On one side, two book shelves in the corner, on the other side was a night stand and a closet. Right in front of the window at the back of the room, was a fairly large desk. On the left wall, a dark brown, long dresser with a TV on top, was collecting dust.

The room itself was fairly dusty and plain looking. They never really had guests and when they did, there was an additional guest room down stairs that was used fairly regularly whenever Chrysalis or their parents came to visit.

 _I hope, sooner rather than later, this room will get some use._ Celestia mused, taking another look around. _I think I'm going to go shopping tomorrow, white, green and flowers don't really strike me as her type of décor._

Celestia smiled at the thought of the young girl living in the room, even more so at the thought of her getting out of that awful building. With those last thoughts, Celestia went and got ready for bed.

Sunset lay on her cot, buried in a few blankets and a sleeping bag. It was getting colder, which meant the snow was going to coming soon. Sunset hated the cold, mostly because she didn't have any real defense against it. Sadly, that's the price she had to pay for her current living situation.

It had been an hour since she got off the phone with Principal Celestia and she definitely felt more at ease. She couldn't help but compare how she viewed the Principal with how she viewed her mom before she started to want to be more independent.

The thought made her frown and shake her head, _No, I can't be thinking like that. It's just wishful thinking. I'm her student and she's my counselor and Principal, of course she cares._ Another thing occurred to her, _She did insist on being my emergency contact though._ Sunset sighed, _Then again, she was probably just doing what she thought was right._

"You know what?" Sunset said out loud, "It doesn't even matter because at least there is an adult I can depend on."

Sunset liked knowing that Celestia was there to help her if she needed it but she wasn't about to take advantage of her kindness.


	25. A Room

Celestia walked out of the school Thursday evening. She was concerned at first when Sunset wasn't in school but then she received both a phone call to the school, and a text from the girl. It made her happy to know that Sunset was making sure she knew she was safe.

When Celestia got to her car, she saw Luna waiting patiently in the passenger seat.

"Sorry," Celestia said as she got in the driver's side door, "That took longer than expected."

"It is not a problem, sister." Luna assured, "I was only in here for five minutes. What are we shopping for again?"

"Things for the guest room that would make Sunset feel comfortable." Celestia told her, "I don't think white is really her color."

Luna nodded, "I can't see her enjoying that either. Especially that awful flower pattern you insisted on putting in there."

Celestia rolled her eyes as they pulled out of the parking lot. "It's better than the zombie ones you wanted."

Luna crossed her arms and pouted, "I bet she would have loved them."

"You do know Sunset has only ever watched television in class, right?" Celestia said.

Luna's eyes went wide, "That means she's never played video games either!"

"Well," Celestia said, "She did play her first video game on Halloween. From what she tells me, she was pretty good at it."

Luna grinned triumphantly, "I shall make her a gamer yet!"

"Hopefully, if she comes to live with us, she will be able to be a regular teenager." Celestia said.

The sisters pulled into the Canterlot mega mall parking lot. They parked the car then headed inside.

Saying the mall was huge is an understatement. It would take a few hours to go into every store if you didn't know what you were looking for. Sadly, for them, other than new bedding, they had no idea. However, for them, the end result was going to be worth it.

"So," Luna started, "What if she doesn't want to come live with us?"

Celestia stopped and turned to Luna, "I've thought of that. Sunset isn't a stupid or naïve girl. She will see that this is best. However, I never actually planned on leaving up to her, even if she does decline."

Luna raised her eyebrows in surprise, "You aren't going to give her a choice?"

Celestia shook her head, "No, I'm not. She is still a child. From an alternate universe or not; she cannot continue living how she is." They resumed walking as Celestia continued, "Don't get me wrong; I fully intend on letting her come to the conclusion herself, but ultimately, whether she likes it or not, she isn't going to be living alone anymore."

"Do not worry, Tia, I doubt Sunset will decline your offer." She thought for a moment then added; "Unless of course, she declines because she feels she is imposing on us. In that case, we will be able to handle the situation."

Celestia nodded as they walked into a store with bedding, "I think you're right." She scanned over the comforters, "I know she likes black and red…"

Luna scanned over the choices then something behind her caught her eye. She smiled, "This one is perfect!"

Celestia turned to see what her sister was looking at and smiled as well.

After a few hours of shopping, both of the sisters had armfuls of bags and were just about to call it a day but as they were headed for the exit; one last store caught her eye. Celestia stopped and peered inside, biting her lip in contemplation.

"Tia?" Luna questioned when she realized her sister had stopped walking.

The younger sister followed the other's gaze to what appeared to be an art store. There was a display in the window that had all sorts of art supplies: Canvas, sketchbooks, pencils, 'How to' books, spray cans, models and everything an artist could ever want. Needless to say, it didn't take long for Luna to figure out what her sister was thinking.

Luna waked towards the store and looked back to Celestia, "You coming?"

Celestia smiled and they entered the store.

It only took a few minutes to realize they had no idea what they were doing. So, after about ten minutes of aimless wandering, they asked one of the clerks for help.

Celestia explained to the gentleman that there was a student who went to her school that was talented but their family didn't have the money to spend on art supplies. So, they didn't have any real outlet for their talent other than art class. When he seemed unsure, Celestia showed him the picture of the art project Sunset had showed her.

Once the man saw the picture, he was obviously impressed and understanding of the situation. He led the ladies around the store, grabbing stuff off of shelves and racks, explaining to them what each one was for. In the end, Celestia was happy with what they went out with, even if it was a little over two hundred dollars. That fact, she was _not_ going to reveal to Sunset.

They headed home after that and immediately dusted down the, now former, guest room, setting it up how they thought Sunset would like.

Celestia smiled at her sister who too, had a wide grin on her face, "We get the paperwork soon. Right?"

Luna nodded, "But there is nothing really stopping us from at least asking her, now right?"

Celestia shrugged, "I'd rather wait to see what Chrys has to say, just in case there are complications."

Luna nodded then hugged her sister good night before leaving the room.

 _Please hurry Chrysalis._ Celestia thought to herself.

Only, life doesn't abide by what any one-person's plans. The world has a funny way of working itself out. Like some say, everything happens for a reason. It isn't until after things go a little off course that you realize exactly why it happened the way it did. A lot of the time, it happens for the better.

Author's Note

Welcome to post week! One chapter every day for 7 straight days plus the usual post next Monday! I'm really excited for this!

happy reading!


	26. Quake

Come Friday, the five girls were becoming concerned as to why Sunset had skipped the rest of the week of school. They weren't stupid, they knew it had something to do with Rainbow Dash growing wings and a tail. Sunset had message the entirety of the group, assuring them she was alright and just needed time to clear her head.

They knew Sunset would have told Principal Celestia what was actually going on but when they asked, like any good counselor, she was sworn to secrecy but assured them that Sunset would be returning on Monday.

Celestia however, was growing concerned as well. Other than the phone call she'd had with her on Wednesday, a text on Thursday and the absence notices that passed through the office, she hadn't heard from her. Principal Celestia was now unsure that she'd done a good job at consoling Sunset about her fears about magic. To make matters worse, she couldn't just go to where she lived to talk to her, not yet. Nor could she give her friends any information without breaching Sunset's trust.

Right before Lunch, however, the ground shook for a moment. Not enough to cause any real damage but just enough to make people stumble in order to regain their footing. Just as sudden as it had come, it dissipated.

"Freaky deaky." Pinkie Pie said as she bounced up to her friends and sat in her usual seat, "We haven't had an earthquake here since we were all in diapers. Though I guess that was more of a minor tremor."

"I was so scared." Fluttershy shrunk in seat. "I'm glad it was just a small one."

"I dunno about that." Applejack said, "Granny Smith says that last time there was an earthquake, there was a few small ones and one huge one."

Fluttershy shrunk farther in her chair, fear in her eyes.

"It's true!" Pinkie said, "My mom and dad said that the last one split the ground, damaged and knocked down buildings, even started fires!"

Rainbow frowned, looking at Fluttershy cower next to her. She was about to say something before the intercom came on.

 _"Will all staff and students please report to the cafeteria immediately for next class."_ Celestia's voice sounded, _"I repeat, this is a school emergency. All staff and students report to the cafeteria."_

"Well." Rainbow said, "We got here pretty fast."

Rainbow and Pinkie snickered but Applejack and Rarity groaned. Fluttershy, however, continued to cower, only now she was significantly closer to Rainbow Dash.

More students shuffled into the cafeteria and took any seat available while the staff lined the walls. Soon, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna walked in, the latter carrying a bull horn.

"Attention students and faculty." Luna spoke through the bull horn, "I am sure you all experienced a small tremor earlier and for safety reasons, we are all going to remain here until we are sure they passed. However," Her voice turned grim for a moment. "There is a chance of a bigger quake. So, in the event that the situation escalated, everyone is to get underneath the table they are at _immediately._ "

At the sound of that, Fluttershy clung desperately to Rainbow Dash who looked at the equally concerned faces of her friends.

Rarity was the first to say what they were all thinking, "Does Sunset know what to do in the event of an earthquake." After seeing more nervous looks, she furrowed her brows. "I do hope she's alright."

When Vice-Principal Luna was walking past their table, Fluttershy quickly grabbed her arm, startling the older woman. Though she didn't let it show.

"Vice-Principal Luna," Fluttershy said, "We are really worried about Sunset. We don't even know if she knows what to do in an earthquake. Can't _someone_ go check on her?"

Luna furrowed her borrows and glanced over to her sister who kept looking from the students in the cafeteria, to the exit. Clearly contemplating doing that very thing. The Vice-Principal looked back at the five girls, Fluttershy having sat back down, gripping Rainbow's arm.

She leaned down to the table and spoke just loud enough for the five girls to hear, "When this is over _or_ it gets worse; Principal Celestia will be going to check on her." She looked back to Celestia who was now pacing nervously at the exit. She pointed to her with her thumb, "If she even lasts that long."

At that point, Luna had forgone her usual, disciplinary façade, but only for the other five girls. She was just as worried about Sunset as they were, but Celestia was definitely going to have a panic attack soon if she kept this up.

Just then, the ground shook.

The first tremor woke her but she didn't really think anything of it. However, she knew better than to just brush it off.

When the second hit, it was extremely violent.

Car alarms started to go off all around her and she could hear the ground trying to tear itself apart. She fell to the ground trying to get out of the building. It didn't end there though. No, it got worse. _Much_ worse.

The more time that passed the more intense the quake became. Sunset tried to get up, hoping to get to the stairs but it was too intense, she struggled to rise to her feet.

 _Damn it!_ Sunset thought, _I don't think I can get out._ By this time, she was in the hallway, only a few feet from the stairs. _I have to try._

Just as she was about to make for the stairs, she heard a sickening crack, like old metal and brick giving way. She instinctively leaped backwards, avoiding half of the building falling sideways, destroying her only escape.

She was trapped now and knew it. Sunset was taken over with an overwhelming sense of fear, and there was _nothing_ she could do. The earthquake was too intense, she couldn't move now, even if she wanted to. Sunset gritted her teeth.

Another crack and loud bang. The rest of the first floor caved in, then the second, and finally, Sunset's floor, followed by the roof.

Finally, the quake ended, but it was followed by the aftershock, not nearly as intense or long as the main quake.

Fluttershy ended up cowering in Rainbow's arms and she was more than happy to comfort her friend. The students and faculty remained silent, on the ground, for another ten minutes before picking themselves up.

"Is everyone OK?" Principal Celestia asked.

There were various murmurs from around the cafeteria but no one called out any injuries, so that was a positive. The cafeteria, however, was a mess. Food was strewn everywhere, having been jostled violently throughout the earthquake. Some of the lights had fallen from the ceiling and glass shards were scattered by the few missing windows but the majority of the glass was outside.

Students made their way to the windows, carefully avoiding the glass. Vice-Principal Luna and the five girls could see it form where they were, being some one of the tables closest to the windows.

"You girls alright?" Luna asked.

They all silently nodded.

"I have to go find Principal Celestia." She said then yelled so she could be heard, "Please find your home room teacher and proceed to the soccer field. Your parent's will be contacted to come pick you up. Please sign out with your teacher before you leave."

Everyone started to file out, guided by the other staff members.

Luna saw Celestia staring in awe out one of the intact windows. The damage seemed horrific. From what they could see, trees had fallen over onto roads and parked cars, as was telephone poles that seemed to have already had the power cut to. From in town, they could see smoke and fires billowing from various buildings. They were _sure_ some of the older ones had collapsed as well.

"Go," Luna said to her sister, "Now!"

She didn't need to told twice. She ran from the building to the staff parking lot and hopped in her car. Thankfully, that side of the school was generally undamaged.

Celestia didn't have a choice but to drive slowly and carefully as the roads had new dangers around every corner. There was everything from car accidents to fallen trees and, as she neared the older part of town, small to moderately sized fissures.

Finally, she reached the block where Sunset's building was. Or what was left of it.

On one side of the block, the pizza place was burning along with a couple buildings. The laundromat was relatively alright but the apartment buildings were almost leveled.

The building that Sunset stayed in…it was just a pile of rubble.

Tears fell from her eyes as she rushed over to the paramedics.


	27. Aftershock

Celestia made her way to the crowd of people; both civilians, and paramedics, looking for survivors. She scanned over the medics working on the injured, but didn't see Sunset. Not yet anyway.

 _Where are you, Sunset?_ Celestia thought, watching the two men sift through what was Sunset's building.

Just then one of them called; "Hey! I see someone!"

Three paramedics ran over past Celestia to assist the two men. She wanted to help but she knew she'd just get in the way but still staying within ear shot. So, as nerve racking as it was, she waited chewing her lip impatiently, praying Sunset wasn't…no, she couldn't think like that.

She kept her eyes on the men until one of them spoke loudly over the sirens; "It's just a kid!"

Celestia's heart stopped, _Sunset._

He nodded, "Careful now, don't move her head"

When Celestia finally saw the person, they were lifting; her fears were answered. She placed a hand over her mouth, tears now streaming from her eyes. It took all her willpower to not break down on her knees then and there

She walked to where the paramedics carefully set Sunset down.

One of the medics with orange hair checked her pulse and shook his head, "No pulse."

"Starting compressions." Another green haired man said, as he performed CPR.

When Celestia got closer she gasped. Sunset's face was covered in blood, a large gash on the side of her head. There was so much blood, it was hard to tell where it started and ended. She had blood on her shirt and her clothes were torn. Her left leg wasn't fairing much better. Still, her main concern was whether or not she was alive.

The green haired man stopped after a minute and shook his head. Celestia knew what that meant.

She carefully approached the men who looked at her questionably.

"Miss?" the orange haired man questioned.

"Her parents are out of town." Celestia said numbly, her voice breaking.

"We're sor-" The man tried but was cut off.

"Move!" A blue haired man ordered.

They all moved out of the way and he resumed compressions.

"Armor, she's-" The green man tired but the blue haired man was having none of it.

"Defibrillator!" he ordered, "NOW!"

The green haired man went to the ambulance while Armor ripped open Sunset's shirt. When he returned; he put the pads on Sunset's chest and charged, "Clear!"

She convulsed but nothing.

"Again!"

Nothing.

"One more time!" He said.

"Shining," The orange haired one said, "She's gone!"

He glared at him, "Just one more time!"

He rolled his eyes but did as he was told.

Sunset convulsed then, unconscious, she coughed.

Shining smiled, "See, told ya."

Celestia smiled and uncharacteristically hugged the man, "Thank you."

"Get her into the ambulance now!" Shining ordered.

The two men obliged, "Are you her mother?"

"No," Celestia said, "Her parents are out of town."

He nodded, "What's her name?"

"Sunset Shimmer."

He nodded then rushed to the truck, "Thanks. She's in good hands!"

Celestia nodded and they drove away, sirens blaring.

She rushed back to her car and started heading for the hospital, _I'll be damned if I let her go through this alone._

When Celestia got to the hospital, the nurse told her Sunset was in surgery. So, she called her sister who had been texting her nonstop.

 _"Hello? Tia!"_ Luna said from the other end, _"I was getting worried. You have a cellphone for a reason!"_

"I'm at the hospital." Celestia said in monotone.

 _"Are you alright?"_ Luna practically yelled into the phone.

"Yes, Luna, I'm fine." Celestia gulped, "It's Sunset."

The other end grew silent for a moment before Luna responded. _"I'll be right there."_

Celestia thanked her sister and hung up the phone, looking around the waiting room. It was packed. Sunset wasn't the only one in critical condition form the earthquake. Since arriving, six families had left in tears. She prayed she wouldn't be one of them.

She felt fresh hot tears in her eyes again. _If only I had taken her in earlier… no, I can't blame myself. It wasn't anyone's fault. No one could have predicted the earthquake._

The woman pulled herself from her thoughts when she noticed Luna walking towards her, immediately enveloping each other in a tight hug.

"Now, tell me what happened." Luna said.

Celestia explained how Sunset's building had been leveled by the earthquake and she had been inside. Then, she went into striking detail about watching them carefully pull her body from the rubble.

"You should have been there, Luna." Celestia buried her head in her hands, "She was just...covered in her own blood. She was essentially dead for who knows how long! They were going to give up but this one man…he refused."

Luna tried to put on a brave face for her sister but she too had tears brimming her eyes, "What's going on now?"

"She's in surgery but…they aren't sure if she'll make it through the procedure." Celestia explained as she cried harder.

Luna embraced her sister, "Sunset has fought to survive this long. I highly doubt she'll let this get the best of her."

Celestia managed a small smile and nodded.

They sat in silence as the waiting room steadily emptied. At one point, Luna went to get a couple sandwiches from the hospital canteen but they never got eaten. Eventually, it dwindled down to the two of them and three other families.

Luna was half asleep when a green skinned nurse walked in.

"For…" She checked her sheet, "Sunset Shimmer?"

Celestia immediately shot up, dragging a groggy Luna behind her.

"The paramedic who brought her in said her parents were out of town?" She questioned.

Celestia nodded, "I'm her emergency contact and this is my sister Luna."

"Is she OK?" Luna asked eagerly.

The nurse smiled slightly, "Miss Shimmer is and _extremely_ lucky girl."

A wave of sweet relief washed over the two women.

"I am obligated to tell you that she did flatline on the table for one minute but she is now in stable condition." She looked at her papers one more time, "Please, follow me."

They followed the nurse through the halls until she stopped at a door, "This is Sunset's room. I have to say, she's a bit of a rock star here since she was brought in. Not many teenage girls have a building fall on top of them and live to tell the tale."

Celestia peered into the room. It was dark save for a dim light over the bed that lit up only the sleeping girl in the bed. Sunset's face was void of the blood form earlier but there was a large gauze pad taped to the side of her forehead to just before her ear and they could see that her face ad arms were covered in small scrapes and bruises. Her left arm was in a cast and a sling and her left leg was elevated and wrapped in bandages. They had her hooked up to a respirator that was held in place by a strap around her head and face. The sight broke her heart.

"The respirator will come off when we are confident she doesn't need it or when she wakes up." The nurse explained.

"When will she wake up?" Celestia asked, her eyes never leaving Sunset.

"I'm not sure." She admitted, "It's common after incidents like this for the patient to be in some kind of coma. It could last anywhere from a few days to a few months. It really depends on the person. I believe it depends on one's will to survive."

"Well, she sure has the will." Luna commented.

The nurse smiled, "I better get going. You're welcome to stay as long as you like, just don't be too loud."

They nodded as the nurse walked off.

Celestia immediately walked to the chair on the right side of the bed then planted herself in place, studying Sunset's sleeping form. She frowned at the thought of what had brought them to this point; Sunset's fear of herself.

"On the bright side," Luna said, pulling up a chair to sit next to her sister, "At least she has somewhere to go after this. Somewhere she won't be alone."

Celestia smiled, "Yes, you're right."

"Should we tell her friends?" Luna asked.

Celestia nodded, "I'll do it on Monday."

Luna frowned and shot Celestia a look of disbelief, "Oh no you don't. If you think you are going to work with Sunset in the hospital, you are sincerely mistaken."

"But I-" Celestia tried to argue, despite her better judgement.

"No but's." Luna said adamantly, "I'll tell them and handle things at the school." She gestured to Sunset, "Right now, you are the closest thing to a parent Sunset has and probably will ever have. She needs you right now, more than the school does. So, come Monday, you are going to be right here waiting for her to wake up."

Celestia smiled at Luna. Sometimes she forgets that Luna is the younger sibling, especially in times like this where she needed a firm hand and someone to support her.


	28. Friend Down

Come Monday; Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Pinkie and Applejack walked into the school, tapping on their phones. None of them had heard from Sunset since before the earthquakes on Friday and were concerned as to what had happened.

"You don't think…" Rainbow's voice trailed off.

"Oh, I hope she's OK." Fluttershy said.

As they were passing the office, Vice-Principal Luna caught their attention.

"Girls." Luna said in a stern tone but it was somewhat softer than usual, "Can I speak to you five in my office please?"

They exchanged nervous glances but followed Vice-Principal Luna into her office. As they entered, they all gathered around her desk; Fluttershy and Rarity sitting in the two chairs provided.

Luna sat at her desk and took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. She did not want to reveal too much about what had happened, as to not upset them more than necessary. Sunset's living situation was also something she didn't want to reveal in its entirety. That was something Sunset should reveal for herself.

"As I told you on Friday," Luna began, choosing her words carefully, "Principal Celestia had planned to check up on Sunset Shimmer after we cleared out the school."

They nodded, not liking where this was going.

"When she got there…" Luna trailed off, dropping her façade to reveal a pained expression, "When she got there, Sunset's building had collapsed while she was still inside."

They all gasped in shock and horror at this new information. Fluttershy began to sob quietly while the others, including Rainbow and Applejack, had tears brimming their eyes.

Rainbow was the first to speak, "Is she…"

Luna smiled slightly, "Miss Shimmer is a lucky girl. My sister is watching over her at the hospital as we speak."

Everyone sighed in relief, though Fluttershy was still in tears.

"You could have lead with that." Rainbow grumbled.

"Can we see her?" Pinkie Pie asked.

Everyone started voicing their agreement before Luna raised her hand for silence.

"I'm sorry. I understand you want to check on Sunset but no one but family are allowed in to see her right now." Luna explained. She frowned, "Sunset has not woken up yet since the incident."

"But she doesn't have any family here." Applejack protested.

Luna nodded, "I am aware. Luckily, Principal Celestia is her emergency contact. I assure you, she will not be alone when she does wake up."

Rarity stood, steeling her nerves, "That's great, thank you." She turned to her friends, "I think we should all get to class and let Vice-Principal Luna get to her own work."

The others grumbled but exited the office.

Once they got into the hallway, they gathered in a circle. Fluttershy was shaking as she struggled to hold back the tears. Rarity was having a hard time too, now that they were out of the office. She didn't even feel the need to be a drama queen. Everyone had tears in their eyes.

Wordlessly, they all gathered into one big group hug in the hallway. The bell for class went but they remained where they were. None of the five girls had any intention of going to class. Instead, they headed to the band room where they knew they wouldn't be disturbed for the time being.

It was nearing lunch time when there was knock at Luna's office door.

"Come in." She said.

The person walked in and closed the door, "Luna."

The woman looked up to see a black skinned woman with teal colored hair. It was none other than Chrysalis.

"Chrysalis!" Luna yelled, getting up and practically jumping on top of her in a hug, "Thanks for coming!"

She returned the hug, "I know our appointment wasn't until this evening but I cleared my schedule to come earlier when you texted me what happened. Is Celestia with her?"

Luna nodded and lead her friend to the chairs in front of her desk, "When I met her at the hospital on Friday night; she was crushed. When she got to the scene, the building was leveled. Apparently," Luna spoke quieter, just in case, "Sunset was essentially dead. They couldn't get a pulse. One of the paramedics were determined to save her. She was lucky."

Chrysalis nodded, "I need to see Celestia." She opened her briefcase and pulled out a document, "I finished them last night. I know it's not what you two wanted but the other can wait. This will at least allow her to be released to Celestia when she does wake up."

Luna read them over, "It says here her parents are no longer suitable caregivers."

She nodded, "I didn't want to raise suspicion, especially since you probably told the doctors her parents were out of town."

Luna smiled, "You should go see her now so the doctors know. Celestia is starting to get concerned. They keep asking about her parents."

Chrysalis grabbed the papers and replaced them in her case, then headed for the door, "Very well. I'll see you later tonight."

"Thanks, Chrys." Luna waved, "We owe you one."

Chrys nodded and left the office.

Chrysalis entered the hospital and went up to the front desk.

"Excuse me," She addressed the lady behind the desk, "I'm looking for Sunset Shimmer's room."

She typed something into the computer, "Are you family?"

"I'm her social worker." She explained, "I need to speak with the woman in with her now."

The other woman nodded and wrote something on a sticky note and handed it to Chrysalis. Chrys thanked her and went to find the room.

Surprisingly, it wasn't too terribly hard due to the fact that there were helpful signs and kind staff directing her way.

When she found the room number, she knocked on the sliding glass door then entered the room, closing it behind her.

She frowned when she looked at the red and yellow haired girl in the bed, hooked up to the respirator. Her attention then fell on the task at hand. Sitting in a chair next to the girl, was Celestia reading a book.

She had bags under her eyes but other than that, she was still well kept. However, to someone who knew her as well as Chrys and Luna did; you could clearly tell she was in deep, emotional pain. Upon closer observation, you could see that her eyes flitted randomly around the page trying, and failing, to focus on the story.

"Tia." Chrys called.

Celestia jumped a bit, then put her book down upon seeing the other woman in the room, "Chrys! I wasn't expecting you until this evening."

"I tried to get here earlier after Luna texted me." Chrysalis hugged her friend then pulled the papers from her bag and handed them to her. "I'm still working on the other papers you asked for but these will release her into your care as soon as she's released from the hospital."

Celestia read over them and smiled, "And you're her social worker?"

She shrugged, "Well, I can't keep her with you if someone else was in charge."

Celestia hugged her friend with tears in her eyes, "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Chrysalis broke the hug and smiled, looking at Sunset, "I have a feeling it will mean a whole lot more to her."

Celestia smiled and signed the papers. Chrysalis left soon after that but promised to return with food later that evening.

Meanwhile, Celestia sat down and watched Sunset's face. She looked so peaceful while she slept. The heart monitor beeped steadily. The sound of Sunset's even breathing through the tube in her mouth just reminded Celestia of the time she was in here watching over her sister.

 _19 years ago…_

Celestia sat in her room like she usually did on a weeknight. It was another emotional and hectic day. When the someone let it leak that Luna was, in fact, gay, the entire school started beating down on her. Her, Sombra, Discord and Chrysalis tried their best to shield her but they couldn't be with her 24/7.

It was bad enough that Luna was two years younger than everyone in their class but now, this little fact set her leagues apart from everyone else.

A couple months ago, Luna was one of the most feared students in their group next to Sombra but now, she's the schools personal punching bag. When Celestia told them to stop; they yelled at her that if they never stopped their assault on other students, why should they show Luna mercy?

They were right of course. When Celestia, Luna and their friends found out about other people's fears and facts about them that they had, at the time, deemed shameful, they kicked everyone when they were down. They had once caused a student to transfer because it got out that he was gay as well. This whole situation was like a slap in the face for Celestia.

Lately, Luna had become distant. She didn't talk to Celestia, their parents or their friends. The only one that Luna actually talked to was Chrysalis who had become Luna's human shield when they were together.

Celestia was brought from her thoughts with a knock on the door.

The door opened and her mother came in. She was of medium height with shoulder length, soft green hair and pink and baby blue skin. Celestia met her eyes.

"Have you seen your sister since you got home?" She asked.

Celestia shook her head, "Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure but she's not answering her phone." Her mother explained.

Celestia got off her bed and grabbed her light brown leather jacket, "I'll look for her. Maybe Chrysalis has seen her."

"Thanks honey." She smiled.

Celestia nodded and went to her car. She started to drive. At a stop light, she took out her brand-new flip phone. It was much lighter and smaller than her old one, very convenient. She called Chrys but there was no answer.

 _Odd,_ Celestia thought, _She always answers her phone._

Celestia was starting to get a sick feeling in her stomach as she drove to check out Luna's usual hangouts.

No more than ten minutes later, her phone rang. Celestia pulled over and picked it up.

"Hello?" She questioned.

 _"Celestia! It's Luna, she-she-"_ Chrys said form the other end.

"Chrysalis? What happened?" Celestia said, as her heart began to pound in her chest.

 _"I called an ambulance. I'm so sorry."_ Chrysalis continued as if she didn't hear her, _"I-I pulled her out of the way but we were too close to the rail!"_

Chrysalis was crying and it took all of Celestia's willpower to not yell.

"Chrysalis," She said in an eerie voice, on the verge of tears, "What happened to my sister."

There were ambulance sirens in the background as Chrys tried to steady her voice, _"Luna tried t-to, let the train hit her. I pulled her out of the way but she tripped and…I'm so sorry. I tried to grab her but she slipped. Discord saved her from the water."_

Celestia's world shattered around her. Her sister just tried to do the unthinkable and she wasn't even there.

There were voices on the other end then Chrysalis spoke again, _"I'm taking the ambulance with Luna, I'll meet you at the hospital."_

Celestia hung up and called her parents on the way to the hospital and explained the situation. When she got there, she was embraced by Chrysalis who apologize profusely. Discord gave an apology as well despite being soaking wet.

When Celestia and Luna's parents arrived, they got the full story. Apparently, Chrysalis had gotten a phone call from Luna saying she was sorry and she just couldn't do it anymore. Chrysalis managed to figure out where she was and called Discord. Luna was going to commit suicide by getting hit by the train. Chrys climbed onto the bridge and pulled her out of the way as the train came by. Luna had lost her footing and fell over the railing into the river. Discord had gone in after her and pulled her to shore.

Celestia's Mom hugged them both, thanking them for trying to save her daughter's life. The doctor had come in after a while and lead the group to Luna's room. She was alive, hooked up to various machines and had a small gash in her forehead.

The older sister had sat with Luna, watching her peaceful sleeping form, Chrysalis coming in with food when she needed it, until Luna finally woke up.

 _Present Day…_

Celestia was woken up by her Younger sister shaking her shoulder. It took a minute for Celestia to acknowledge where, and when, she was. Her little sister, all grown up, smiled down at her, Chrysalis standing behind her.

She looked to Sunset, still motionless in the bed.

 _Come on, Sunset._ Celestia thought. _You're not alone any more. You never were._


	29. Paper Trust

Come Thursday, Sunset's friends checked in with Vice-Principal Luna. After hearing there were no more changes, they continued to sluggishly mope to their respective classes. Though they haven't really been friends with Sunset for very long, they were taking everything really hard.

Now that she wasn't a bully, they realized why so many adults liked her. She was kind, caring and, to a point; wise beyond her years. Sunset's one of those people you could have one, genuine conversation with and find yourself spilling your deepest concerns and regrets on. When you got to know her; it was hard _not_ to like her.

Over the past few days, the girls found themselves in a few awkward situations where they had to tell some people what had happened. On Tuesday, during soccer practice, Rainbow got distracted, thinking about Sunset and she caught the ball with her face. She had to see Nurse Tender Heart to stop her bloody nose. Tender Heart had questioned her about how she got so distracted and she ended up telling her about Sunset. Even the nurse ended up in tears. After school that day, they went to sugar cube corner and Mrs. Cake asked about Sunset, as she was a regular, more so than the other five girls. They explained the situation and, well…they all got free hot chocolate.

Wednesday afternoon, Rainbow went to help Fluttershy at the shelter. When Rookie jumped on Fluttershy, the sweet girl started to cry, remembering the first time Sunset had helped her at the shelter and the night she'd come in after saving him. After a few minutes of Fluttershy crying, clutching onto Rookie as if he was a life line; Fauna came in to see Rainbow Dash trying to calm Fluttershy down. Rainbow had to explain the situation. Fauna drove the girls to Fluttershy's after that.

During lunch, the five were still generally somber, merely picking at their food. They didn't talk to anyone and the other students gave them concerned looks. They could all see there was something wrong but none of them had the nerve to ask.

It turns out, not everyone noticed their mood.

Trixie, acting all high and mighty, walked up to their table with a sly smirk, "Hello, how are you all today?"

Her voice was far from genuine so Rarity spoke, "What is it that you need, Trixie? As you can see, none of us are really in the mood for your attitude, today."

The other girl smirked, "Well, I just couldn't help but notice Sunset hasn't been around for the last couple weeks."

The group stiffened at the mention of Sunset's name but they remained silent.

Trixie continued, now having drawn an audience form the surrounding tables, "I guess I finally scared her off. I mean, who would want to be friends with a _demon_ anyway." Rainbow and Applejack clenched their fists and glared at her, "Maybe she did the entire world a favor and ended it."

In less than a second, Rainbow had her pinned against the brand-new window pane with a hard thump, "Talk about her like that again!" She yelled angrily, "I _dare_ you!"

Trixie giggled a bit and smiled, "Why do you care? She's nothing more than a cockroach to the 'Great and Powerful Trixie!'"

Rainbow lifted her hand to punch Trixie but Applejack and Pinkie Pie pulled her back, each of them wore angry expressions directed at Trixie.

"She's our friend!" Rainbow yelled, the whole student body watching, "Don't talk about her like that! How would you know anything about her?! Unlike us, she doesn't have a family who cared about her! What gives you the right to judge her?!"

Trixie snorted, "Whatever gave her the right to stomp all over us? Over you? Nothing! This is just revenge for everything she's done to all of us. She deserves all of it!"

Rainbow tried to break free to attack her but her friends kept her restrained.

"But she's trying to change!" Pinkie yelled at her, "You're not even _trying_ to see that she's trying."

"People don't change." Trixie said.

Rainbow was about to yell again but, she was interrupted by an unlikely source. Now, Fluttershy had Trixie pinned to the glass. At that moment; to everyone who was watching, including Trixie herself, Fluttershy was emitting an aura of pure, unadulterated rage. The usually shy girl was _terrifying._

"Now you listen here," Fluttershy spoke darkly and louder than most had ever heard her, "If you had taken the time to see that Sunset was trying, you'd also see that she was suffering more than any of you _ever_ did. You locked her in her own locker and she gave herself a concussion, you had Gilda try to _beat_ her to death. What makes you think she deserves what you gave her?" Fluttershy scanned the other students, "You all got your frustrations out after the first week. Now you are just picking on her for no reason. You are no better than she was. And you…" She glared at Trixie, "you have sunk lower than Sunset ever did." She took a deep breath and stepped back, "I don't want to so much as hear you talk down about Sunset again."

"Then where is she?" Trixie questioned angrily, "Why can't she stick up for herself?"

"Remember that earthquake on Friday?" Fluttershy asked rhetorically and glared at her, "Sunset's building fell on top of her."

The whole room gasped.

"I-Is she…" Trixie stuttered.

"She's alive, but she hasn't woken up yet." She said, "Only family and friends are allowed in to see her." Fluttershy frowned, "And like you said, she doesn't have any."

Fluttershy and her friends exited the cafeteria as Trixie sank to her knees and started to cry. None of the girls had any sympathy towards her, she needed to understand.

They silently walked to Sunset and Fluttershy's lockers and sat in the hallway. Sunset had gotten a new locker after she dented her old one with her head. Fluttershy had requested Sunset be closer to her so her friends could keep an eye on her. The Principal was happy to agree.

"Wow, Fluttershy, that was…" Applejack had a hard time at finding the words.

"I didn't know you could be that…terrifying." Rarity said.

"She had to learn." Fluttershy said adamantly.

Rainbow thought back to the cafeteria and realized a certain detail, "Wait, I thought Principal Celestia was with Sunset?"

Fluttershy nodded, "She is."

"Then why did you tell Trixie she was alone?" Rainbow asked.

"I didn't." Fluttershy stated, "I just told her she didn't have any family. I know I didn't give the detail that Principal Celestia being there for her but if I did, I wouldn't have gotten my point across as well. I never _lied._ "

"I think what you did was very admirable." Everyone turned their heads to see Vice-Principal Luna standing a few feet from them. "I think Miss Lulamoon won't be giving Sunset much more trouble now."

Fluttershy smiled.

"She's also earned herself a suspension." Luna scowled, "If you hadn't had intervened, I would have. Talking like that about another student was completely unacceptable."

"Thanks, Vice-Principal Luna." Rainbow said, "Sunset shouldn't have had to deal with Trixie's crap to begin with."

Luna smiled, "I'm glad she has friends like you to look out for her."

They smiled and Luna walked back towards her office to make a phone call to Trixie's parents.

It was late in the evening when Luna finally arrived at the hospital. Still, Celestia greeted her with a smile.

"Sorry I'm late." Luna sat next to her and scowled "I had to fill out suspension papers for Miss Lulamoon."

"Oh?" Celestia questioned, "What for?"

"For some…" She searched for the words, "remarks, regarding Miss Shimmer. Her friends dispelled the situation well, though. I doubt Trixie will cause her any more trouble. The rest of the school will likely lay off more as well. If anything, they are too scared to deal with Fluttershy."

Though it struck her as odd that Fluttershy would have terrified an entire school, Celestia didn't really feel like questioning it. She was just happy that Sunset had such good friends to protect her.

"Come on, Tia." Luna placed a comforting hand on her arm, "You need to sleep in a bed. You haven't left the hospital since Tuesday night." Celestia wanted to argue but Luna spoke first, "Chrysalis is going to stay with her for tonight so she won't be alone."

Celestia was too tired to argue and, after one more look at Sunset, she followed her sister out of the hospital to the parking lot. The drive was silent and when they got home, Luna ushered her sister into the bathroom to shower.

When she was done she crawled into her bed but couldn't sleep. Her thoughts never strayed from Sunset. The three, terrifying, minutes she watched the paramedics get a pulse was still fresh in her mind. Never had she thought she would have to witness something like that. However, she was thankful Sunset had survived.

She was a strong girl, Celestia couldn't deny that, she was fully capable of taking care of herself…for the most part. Still, she was happy she wouldn't have to anymore. Finally, Sunset could be a regular teenager. Or as regular a former magical unicorn could be.

Luna knocked on Celestia's room door and walked in, clutching a pillow while looking away with a light blush.

"I can't really sleep. This week has been stressful." Luna rubbed the back of her head, "Can I, um, sleep with you tonight? Like when we were younger?"

Celestia smiled and moved over. Luna grinned and did a belly flop next to her sister.

"Things didn't really go how we planned, did it?" Sighed Celestia.

"No, but it seems other things are working themselves out as well because of it." Luna said thoughtfully.

The elder sister frowned, "Still, I wish it didn't end up like this."

Luna yawned and cuddled into her sister, "Me neither, but we can't change them."

"So," Celestia said after a yawn of her own, "We are going to be looking after a stubborn teenager when she wakes up."

"Correction, _you_ are going to be looking after a stubborn teenager." Luna joked, "I'm going to be the fun and corruptive aunt."

"Aunt, huh?" Celestia questioned.

"Oh, don't give me that." Luna said, "We both know that's how it will end up."

Celestia sighed, "You're being ridiculous."

"Whatever." Luna said as she closed her eyes, "Night, Tia."

"Good night, Luna." Celestia said as she drifted off.


	30. Coming To

Luna yawned and walked into Sunset's hospital room on Saturday afternoon. She ended up having to go to the school in order to finished all or her own paperwork form the week on top of her sister's. Usually, if Celestia was off, Luna would just bring it home for her but this was a special case, Celestia didn't need to worry about work at a time like this.

"What time did you get here?" Luna asked.

Celestia looked at the clock, "Only a couple of hours ago."

"At least you actually came home last night." Luna said, "You haven't been back for a few days."

"I do need to shower from time to time." Celestia half joked.

Luna handed her a plastic bag and she looked at it questioningly.

"What is it?" Celestia asked.

Luna smiled, "For when she wakes up."

Celestia looked inside the bag and smiled, "I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

A little while later a nurse walked in to check on Sunset. At the time, Celestia was holding the girl's hand while she read a book. It was something she had started doing in the last few days, offering the girl as much comfort she could so Sunset knew she wasn't alone.

"That's strange…" the nurse mused, looking Sunset over.

"What is?" Celestia asked worriedly, "Is there something wrong?"

"No," She said, "I'll be right back."

Celestia and Luna exchanged confused glances and waited for the nurse to return.

After twenty minutes, the nurse returned with Sunset's doctor.

He moved to Sunset's left side, then stood back and looked the girl over.

"Are you her caretaker?" He asked Celestia.

"I am." She nodded.

"Well, it seems that your ward has been...well, fidgety." He said, "Her IV came out and it was fine last night."

"We double checked the tapes to be sure, she does move ever so slightly throughout the night." She said.

"So, what does this mean?" Luna asked cautiously.

"Well, it's not uncommon for some coma patients to twitch from muscle memory, but it seems that she was actually moving." He explained, "Besides, she was completely motionless until last night. If I were to take an educated guess, I'd say that Sunset here was just about ready to get up."

Celestia smiled.

The nurse went over to Sunset to replace her IV. When she attempted to press the needle back in to her arm, Sunset's arm jerked itself out of the way. The needle ended cutting the Nurse's finger.

"Ow, OK." She said, sucking on the cut, "She doesn't like needles. Got it."

The doctor chuckled, "Here." He replaced the needle itself, then put it back in Sunset's arm then securely taped it down. "Like I said, I think she's ready."

He grabbed her chart and read it over. At one point, he looked from the paper to Sunset a few times.

"A building fell on top of her?" he questioned, "And she's alive?"

"Yes," Luna smiled, "I believe the other nurse's words were, 'rock star'."

"I can see why." He chuckled, "Anyway, I'll leave you ladies alone."

With that, he replaced Sunset's chart then left the room, followed by the nurse.

Out of curiosity, Luna looked at Sunset's chart, and her eyes almost popped out of her head.

"He wasn't kidding." Luna said, "She's one tough girl."

"I know," Celestia said, "I've read the chart."

Luna sat back down next to her sister who was just staring worriedly at the girl in the bed. She hoped that Sunset would wake up soon. Celestia was only going to worry until she woke up, no matter how much good news she received.

Again, Celestia just grabbed Sunset's hand again, and rubbed her knuckle with her thumb.

The sun was starting to set, casting a warm glow into Sunset's hospital room. The only other change was the absence of Luna and a black bag next to Celestia with Sunset's leather jacket and some clothes. Chrysalis and Luna had gone to the location of Sunset's building to see what they could recover.

Luckily, since it was the old part of town, not everything got cleaned up right away. The majority of Sunset's clothes were safe along with some of her books and notebooks. Sunset's phone was relatively fine, the screen just had a couple cracks. Her laptop was, unsurprisingly, not OK. The screen was completely shattered and the casing was coming off. It was, however in a decent case so the actual system might be alright. They could at least retrieve the contents of the hard drive.

The only things of value that had been destroyed was her laptop and acoustic guitar. Other than that, Sunset didn't have much in regard to personal belongings.

Now, though, Celestia sat in her chair, holding Sunset's hand, looking at the sky. That was, until Sunset's fingers twitched. She looked at Sunset's face then at the hand she was holding. When it didn't move again, she resumed looking out the window.

What caught her attention again was a small groan from Sunset. Celestia's head snapped towards the girl to see her brows furrowing.

"Sunset?" Celestia asked, standing up to get a better look at Sunset's face.

Sunset did another small groan as she struggled to move her arm. She gave up after a moment then opened her eyes slightly and stared at the ceiling. Celestia pressed the call button as she continued watching Sunset.

Sunset moved her head slightly then moved her eyes to look at Celestia. She seemed to study to older woman.

Celestia smiled, "Sunset, welcome back."

The sliding door opened and a couple nurses and the doctor came into the room. Celestia went to move out of the way so they could work but Sunset had gripped her hand. It wasn't strong, but just enough to make Celestia stop and look at her. Sunset had furrowed her brows again, looking at Celestia with the expression of 'please don't leave me'.

Celestia smiled, "I'm not going to leave. I just have the move out of the way so the doctors can take a look at you. I'll be right outside."

Sunset seemed to have understood and released her grip.

Celestia moved out of the room and smiled.

"Tia?" Luna said, walking down the hall with Chrysalis. "What's going on?"

"Sunset woke up." Celestia said with a smile, "They are just looking her over."

Luna grinned, "That's great news!"

Celestia smiled as she watched the doctor and nurses through the glass, chewing on her nail. The doctor had said something to one of the nurses and she left the room, smiling at Celestia as she passed.

"It's like watching your Mom. It's uncanny." Chrysalis said to Luna in a hushed whisper.

"I know. This is what I've been dealing with all week." Luna replied in the same tone, "I call it 'Mother Mode'."

Celestia glared at the two, "I can hear you."

The other two snickered.

The doctor exited the room after another five minutes and smiled, "For such a bad accident, everything looks good. She's asleep right now but you can go on in."

Celestia nodded a 'thank you' before going back into the room. The doctor had changed the bandages on her head and removed the respirator. Sunset was, indeed, asleep as her mouth was slightly ajar.

"Oh my god!" Chrysalis yelled suddenly.

Celestia and Luna shushed her.

"Sorry." She apologized, "It's just…she sleeps exactly like Luna."

Celestia studied looked at Sunset for a moment before letting out a chuckle, "If she could move, I'm pretty sure she would look exactly like her. Contorted limbs and all."

Chrysalis and Luna started to laugh too but they soon stopped as to not wake Sunset. It was entertaining that after a week of wanting her to wake up, they were making an effort to not wake her now.

Celestia instinctively grabbed her hand again after she sat down. Now that the respirator was gone, Sunset looked a lot better. She was still a little paler than usual but that was to be expected.

Luna and Chrys stuck around for another few minutes but, as it was nearing ten, they bid Celestia a farewell, knowing, especially now that she was out of her coma, they weren't going to get her away from Sunset.

Once they, left, the Doctor came in and approached Celestia.

He looked to Sunset with a frown, "Can I speak to you outside for a moment?"

Celestia nodded and followed the doctor out of the room. He slid the door closed then turned to the other woman.

"So, I didn't want to worry you more but now, I have to ask," He bit his lower lip, "Are you aware that Miss Shimmer has large scarring on her back?"

"Scarring?" Celestia questioned.

The doctor nodded, "There are two, two-inch scars on her shoulder blades." When he saw the look of horror on her face, he continued, "It doesn't look like anything to worry about, I was just wondering if you happen to know how she got them." He lowered his voice, "What are her parents like when they're around?"

Celestia snapped out of her initial shock then placed her hand to her chin in thought, _Her shoulder blades? What would hav-_ ,

It was all too obvious. The way she had moved at the formal, the minor wincing when she moved or was touched a certain way in her suspension, the scars were where her wings had sat.

"Oh, Sunset…" Celestia whispered so only she could hear.

"Ma'am?"

Celestia shook her head, "The situation has been resolved."

He nodded, "Good."

The doctor walked off and Celestia went back into the room. She sat down next to a sleeping Sunset. It was then she did something out of instinct. She brushed Sunset's hair out of her face and placed her hand on the girl's cheek, rubbing it with her thumb.

Sunset seemed to react positively to the touch, slightly leaning into her hand. Celestia smiled and lightly placed a kiss on her forehead.

She sat there and contemplated the days to come. It will definitely take getting used to but Celestia hoped that it would be a positive change, for all parties involved. Then she thought about the room she and Luna had set up.

It made her smile.

Of course, when the timing was better, she'd approach Sunset about the scars on her back, but for now, she was just happy that the girl was alive.


	31. Confusion

Sunset had woken up again early Sunday morning. She was incredibly confused and disoriented, having no idea where or even, what she was. Sunset had woken up screaming, saying things like, 'What did you do to me?' and 'what are these?' while looking at her hands.

She was so disoriented, Sunset had made the mistake of attempting to sit up, irritating her broken ribs. The girl had screamed in pain then panicking because still, she had no idea where she was. Sunset wouldn't let anyone touch her or even calm her down.

"Don't touch me!" Sunset screamed viciously, "Just tell me what the hell is going on! Where am I?"

Eventually, Celestia stepped in at the request of Sunset's doctor, hoping to not have to result to drugs.

Celestia managed to get a hold of Sunset's face, forcing the girl to look at her, "Sunset, you need to relax or you're going to hurt yourself more." Sunset struggled against the older woman, "Sunset stop!" She spoke in her 'principal' voice, Sunset stopped struggling to look at her with tears in her eyes, "Now, listen. You were in an accident and now you're in the hospital. You were hurt and if you keep moving around, you're going to hurt yourself more. Do you want that?"

Sunset shook her head and physically relaxed. Celestia let her go and she settled back down on the pillow.

"Now, the doctor's need to change the bandage on your head." Celestia said, "Do you understand?"

Sunset nodded and one of the nurses took over. After the bandages were changed, the nurse left the room, Celestia approached Sunset again.

"How do you feel?" Celestia asked.

"Like I got hit by a bus." She grumbled.

"You should get some more rest." Celestia suggested.

Sunset grumbled again, "Not until somepony tells me what happened."

Celestia smirked a bit at the, obviously, Equestrian term, "Why don't we talk about this when you're more focused, OK?"

Sunset grumbled but reluctantly agreed.

Celestia sighed inwardly, _This is going to be a long day._

Celestia knew that Sunset would be irritable, having just come out of a coma. Her sister was the same way.

In moments, Sunset was sleeping soundly once again.

Celestia sat back in her chair and opened her book. For the first time in over a week, she was finally able to concentrate on the story. Sunset was in and out of sleep for the rest of the day, never awake for more than five or ten minutes at a time.

Monday morning at Canterlot High was still met with the somber faces of the five friends of Sunset Shimmer. They acknowledged that Principal Celestia was not in school again, most likely still waiting at the hospital with Sunset. It irritated the five girls that they couldn't see her but understood the hospital's policies. They were just glad _someone_ was there.

The lunch period was almost over when the secretary's voice came over the speakers, _"Will the following students please report to Vice-Principal Luna's office; Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Thank you."_

The five girls looked confused for a moment as they gathered up their things but it didn't take them long to realize why they would be called to Vice-Principal Luna's office; she had news on Sunset.

After that; they practically ran to the office. Rainbow Dash was the first to enter the main office and, before anyone could stop her, she burst into Vice-Principal Luna's office without knocking.

"What's up with Sunset?" Rainbow demanded.

Luna raised an eyebrow, hiding her amusement it Rainbow's actions.

Fluttershy walked in with the others, placing a hand on Rainbow's shoulder to get her to relax. "You really should have knocked first." She told her.

"Honestly, Rainbow Dash," Rarity crossed her arms. "This is the _Vice-Principal's_ office. Show at least a _little_ respect."

Rainbow went to retort but Luna silenced them with a hand.

"It is quite alright, girls." She told them, "I understand Rainbow Dash's insistence given the circumstances."

The girls nodded before Applejack spoke up. "Well, since we're on the subject; _is_ there any news on Sunset?"

"Actually," Luna said, finding it mildly entertaining to watch the girls squirm, "There is and its good news." They looked at her expectantly, "Sunset came out of her coma Saturday night."

There were smiles and a cheer coming from Pinkie Pie.

"When can we see her?" Fluttershy asked.

"You won't be able to go see her for a few days, possibly, not until the weekend." Luna told them, "She was in and out of sleep for the entirety of Sunday. Sunset is still very confused and tired, she will need time to rest."

There were understandably disappointed groans around the room but the girls weren't stupid, they knew how serious the situation was.

"I assure you," Luna continued, "Sunset will let you all know when she is ready for visitors. Now, the bell is going to ring soon. You better get to class." They started to file out of the room, "Can you please wait a moment, Fluttershy?"

The girl nodded and waved her friends off.

Once they were alone, Luna spoke, "I would like to request a favor from you. If I didn't have to do Principal Celestia's work as well, I would do it myself."

"Of course." Fluttershy smiled, "What do you need?"

"I do not want Miss Shimmer to fall behind and as an honor student, I doubt she would like that as well. I was hoping you could gather up her school work for the last couple weeks." Luna explained, "However, I was wondering if you could bring it to my sister at the hospital. I have a meeting in the city this afternoon so I need to leave soon. I also don't know when I'll be able to make it there this week."

Fluttershy nodded, "I would be happy to. If you don't mind me asking, what is going to happen to Sunset after she gets out of the hospital?"

Luna pursed her lips, "I think you should take that up with my sister." She stood up and grabbed her coat, "Now, I really do need to be going. This is Celestia's number. Text her when you get into the building." Luna handed her a sticky note then headed out the door.

Fluttershy, without anything better to do, went to complete her task.

Sunset woke up late in the afternoon with a throbbing headache. She went to feel the affected area, only for her fingers to brush fresh bandages. Scanning the room, she remembered where she was; the hospital. Though, the reason as to why still eluded her.

She looked to her right to see none other than Principal Celestia, reading a book in the chair next to her bed.

She winced at the pain in her head as she pressed lightly on the bandages, "I swear the universe is out to cause my head pain."

Celestia chuckled at the comment then replaced her bookmark, "Well that's one way to look at it. I'm surprised you don't have any permanent damage."

Sunset giggled but then winced, placing her arms over her ribs, "Laughing hurts."

"Other than that, how are you feeling?" Celestia asked.

"I'm kind of tired and I have a headache. Other than that, I think I'm all right." Sunset looked herself up and down, "You know… other than the obvious."

"Well you must be the strongest teenager I've ever met." The doctor said as he strode into the room, "Like I told your caretaker here, you should have had more problems than you do." He shook his head, "Sorry, where are my manners, "I'm Doctor Red Wing, but you can call me Doctor Wing."

"Nice to meet you." Sunset smiled slightly.

"So," Doctor Wing got right down to business, "Do you remember what happened to you? What is the last thing you remember?"

Sunset scratched the uninjured side of her head, "I don't really know. I guess…" She wracked her brain to find some information that might be of use, "I think…Yeah, I went to bed after talking to Principal Celestia."

The doctor furrowed his brows and took out a light and had Sunset follow it with her eyes, "Do you remember what day it was?"

"Wednesday." Sunset answered.

He wrote something on his chart and gave Celestia a look.

"She has every right to know." Celestia said.

"Know what?" Sunset questioned.

"For starters," Red Wing started, "It seems that you have a small case of amnesia. You see, you were…" He had trouble putting into words, "On Friday afternoon, there was a massive earthquake. And some buildings couldn't withstand it."

"Sunset," Celestia stepped in, "Your building had been leveled by the earthquake." She paused for a moment, "You were still inside."

Sunset looked at Celestia with both shock and horror. "W-what? I was…inside?"

Celestia nodded, "You were hurt pretty badly at the time and…Sunset, you were in a coma for a little over a week."

"However," Doctor Wing took over again, "You were really lucky. It could have been a lot worse. You broke your hand, a few ribs and got a severe concussion." He set Sunset's chart in its holder at the end of the bed, "I'm going to give you time to process, I know, it's a lot to take in."

Sunset remained silent until the doctor left the room.

"How do I not remember that?" Sunset asked in a panicked voice.

"It's completely normal for this type of situation." Celestia said.

After a couple minutes, Sunset still hadn't said anything else. Celestia saw the panic in her eyes but wasn't sure what she was actually concerned about. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed and grabbed her hand to get the younger girl's attention.

Sunset turned to face Celestia. Her expression was of fear and confusion.

"What's going to happen when I get out of here?" Sunset said, "If what you and the doctor said was true, my building was leveled! Where am I going to go?"

"Sunset, listen to me," Celestia said. Sunset met her eyes, "I apologize that I did not tell you sooner but, I've known your living situation since shortly after the formal. Since then, I have been doing everything I could've to get you out of there, legally."

When Celestia paused, something the doctor had said clicked in her head, "He called you my 'caretaker'."

Celestia nodded, then looked to make sure no one was listening, "A friend of mine is a social worker and I presented her your case. Long story short, I have custody over you. Meaning, you have been placed under my care."

Sunset recoiled, _Principal Celestia has custody over me? Why would she do that?_

Celestia's phone buzzed, "I know this is a lot to take in at once but you need to know. The doctors here were told that you already knew of this pending arrangement. Now, I have to run downstairs for a moment. I'll be right back"

Once Celestia left, Sunset stared out the window in deep thought. Celestia was right, it was a lot to take in. She'd been out for over a week _and_ she was missing almost two days of her memory.

 _I-I'm under Principal Celestia's care._ She thought, _and by the sounds of it, she had been planning this for a while. How did she manage it anyway? Did she lie? Even if she didn't, why would she do that for me? She's just my councilor._

Sunset thought back to the various times she's talked to Celestia. She had not expelled her after the formal, let her shred her records, made Sunset make her an emergency contact _and_ had Sunset exchange numbers with her just in case anything happened, or, simply needed someone to talk to. That was everything, save for the records, a caring Principal and counselor would do.

Then, she thought of something else. Aside for all the advice Celestia had given her, it was the moments where she never had to act the way she did. Whenever she would cry, Celestia sat there for however long she needed, stroking her hair and saying it was fine. Principal Celestia had consistently asked her about her art and music since Sunset showed her that assignment. She always seemed so proud of, not just her academic achievements, but also her personal achievements.

While deep in thought, Sunset never noticed she'd started to cry. Not out of sadness. She was crying because the realization of how much Celestia cared about her hit her like a brick. Sunset realized that at some point, they had both abandoned the student/counselor relationship. It was now, that Sunset realized that a lot of the time she went to talk to Celestia, she went in just to talk about her day and, in turn, Celestia told Sunset about hers.

Celestia really had become a sort of parental figure to her.


	32. Boredom

"Really? I don't buy it." Rainbow Dash slumped in her seat.

The previous day, Fluttershy had gone to the hospital to give Sunset her homework, as per Vice-Principal Luna's request. While she was there, she had a small talk with Principal Celestia about Sunset's situation.

"Honestly," Rarity said, "I cannot believe that Sunset had been living in that dusty old building for so long."

Fluttershy frowned, "If it didn't come from the Principal, I wouldn't have believed it either."

"I can't believe we never thought to ask." Applejack told them, "I mean, we were tryin' to become her friends, we should have thought about it."

"Well, she didn't seem like the homeless type." Rarity said, "She still took good care of herself."

The others nodded.

"So, is Principal Celestia really going to take her in?" Rainbow asked.

"That's what she told me." Fluttershy explained, "Apparently, she and Vice-Principal Luna had been planning it for a while now."

"Then why didn't she help sooner?" Rainbow said angrily, "Then Sunset wouldn't be in the hospital!"

"There is a lot of legal work involved in obtaining custody of a person." Rarity explained, "On top of that, she would need to get Sunset to agree to it and reformed or not, she is incredibly stubborn."

"Rarity's right!" Pinkie chimed in after having seemingly made the roman colosseum out of her lunch, "Principal Celestia was probably working behind Sunset's back so when it was all done, Sunset wouldn't have a choice."

"Doubt it." Rainbow rolled her eyes, "Principal Celestia wouldn't risk Sunset hating her."

"Actually, Pinkie Pie might be on to something." Rarity said, "I know when it comes to Sweetie Belle, I'd rather her safe than liking me. Besides, she would eventually realize why I did what I did."

"You think Celestia cares that much about Sunset?" Fluttershy asked.

The girls all smiled.

Sunset sat in her hospital bed, bored. She still had a massive headache but she wasn't really tired enough to want to sleep it off. The pain meds she had in her system helped.

Celestia had left shortly after she woke up to run home and shower. She hadn't said anything but Sunset really didn't want her to go. It was nice having someone there.

Just then the Nurse walked in and smiled, "I see you're feeling better."

Sunset gave a small nod, "Yeah. Headache still sucks though."

The nurse giggled, "You'll have that for a while."

"Figured." Sunset said, "Now I'm just bored."

The nurse pressed a finger to her chin and scanned the room, her gaze landing on a stack of three folders on top of a couple heavy looking textbooks. The top file said, ' _Physics'_ and the one below it was _'Math'_ , the final read _'Art'_.

"Unless Miss Solaris takes basic high school courses," The Nurse grabbed the folders and pulled up the table up to Sunset then set the folders in front of her, "These must be yours."

Sunset scanned through the folders then pulled out a note from the last one. _'We're glad you're OK! Hope to visit soon!'_ She smiled.

"That's really sweet." The nurse said, smiling.

Sunset nodded then opened the physics folder, scanning through the papers again then turned to the nurse, "Can I have my text book and a pencil please?"

"You're _actually_ going to do your homework?" the nurse raised a brow, "You just came out of a coma. Are you sure you can handle that?"

She shrugged, "Don't have anything better to do. Besides, I already know most of this. The worst that's going to happen is I make my headache worse."

The nurse reached over and grabbed the text books and handed them to Sunset who grabbed them with one hand then set them on her lap.

"Most of my classes aren't what you would call; 'basic'." Sunset said showing the Nurse her honors textbook, "You know what they say, knowledge is power."

"Wow, I was a terrible student in school." She giggled, "I was actually what you would call a 'jock'."

Sunset's mouth fell open, looking at the dainty and kind green skinned woman.

The nurse giggled again, "That was my husband's reaction as well."

Sunset closed her mouth, "I used to be the school bully."

It was the other woman's turn to go slack jawed.

Sunset started to laugh but recoiled when she remembered she had four broken ribs. "Ow."

"Well, I guess we both have deceiving looks."

They smiled before the Nurse's watch beeped. She grabbed a pencil from her pocket and gave it to Sunset before she left for the rest of her rounds.

Sunset then got to work, knowing she was going to be missing more than just three weeks of school, so this was just the beginning.

A few more hours passed when Celestia finally returned and, needless to say, she was shocked at what she saw. Sunset was working diligently on her homework, even taking notes in her binder.

"Sunset?" Celestia questioned.

Sunset grinned when she saw Celestia, "You're back!"

"Yes…" Celestia approached Sunset to see her math homework open on the table, "And so are you it seems. How long have you been at this?"

Sunset looked at the clock, "A few hours. I finished most of my physics except I need a ruler to do the next unit. Math was my only option without supplies. I was just really bored."

Celestia giggled, "How about a break then." Grabbed a canvas bag from the ground, "Luna and I got these for you last week before everything happened. I thought you would get some good use out of them."

Celestia helped clear the table and set the bag on Sunset's lap. She smiled as Sunset took out each item one by one, placing them carefully on top of the table. Sunset dropped the bag on the floor then eyed the art supplies laid out in front of her. She took the lid off of the case containing the pencils and examined one, rubbing the lead against her thumb.

Sunset's face was obscured by her hair so Celestia couldn't see her expression

"Y-you got these for me?" Sunset struggled to keep her voice level.

"Well," Celestia smiled, "I'm not the one with an artistic talent."

"I-I…I'm not sure what to say." Sunset turned to face Celestia, "Thank you."

Despite the tears running down her face, Sunset wore the biggest smile Celestia had ever seen.

"I've a-always wanted to get some drawing stuff but…" Sunset picked up the sketch book and stared at the cover, her casted hand gripping it awkwardly. "This alone cost more money than I ever had to spare. I…thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Celestia decided to take a chance and wrapped the girl in a light hug as to not irritate her ribs. In moments, the sketchbook was put down and, with her good hand, Sunset gripped Celestia's arm, leaning her head into the older woman.

"I just wish I had discovered your situation earlier." Celestia said.

"It's fine." Sunset said, "Before the formal, there wasn't really anything you could have done. Even when I was having second thoughts, I was too stubborn." Sunset pulled away to look at Celestia, "I'm OK with how things went. You know, besides the fact that I'm in the hospital right now. But other than that, I'm a better person, now."

"Sunset," Celestia said, "I love what you have done with yourself since then, it was a big change for anyone and you handled it the best you could. However, a lot of the mental and physical pain you endured could have been avoided if I had stepped in when I initially wanted to."

"You're not the only one to blame for that, Tia." Another voice replied.

They looked to the door to see Luna standing there with a large paper take out bag.

" _Neither_ of you did anything wrong." Sunset said seriously, "You both did what you thought was right at the time. If it weren't for the earthquake, it would have all worked out. Seriously, I'm OK."

She flashed a small smile at the two women, only to see Luna creeping around the windows like a really bad spy. Sunset watched with a questioning look as Luna closed all of the blinders that lead into the room then made her way to the other chair next to Sunset's bed.

Celestia looked at Sunsets confused expression and sighed, "You'll get used to it."

Luna opened the bag and handed Celestia a burger from a local fast food place. In all honesty, the smell alone made Sunset more than a little jealous.

The blue haired woman looked around the room then grinned at Sunset.

Celestia saw this and sighed, "You didn't."

Luna took another burger box out of the bag and handed it to Sunset, "Hospital food is hardly good." She looked at Sunset, studying the burger, "It's a veggie burger."

"You're going to get her in trouble." Celestia scolded her younger sister.

"I think I can live with that." Sunset said, already having taken a bite of her burger.

Celestia looked at her sister again to see Luna already enjoying her food. She sighed and dug into her burger. _What have I gotten myself into._


	33. Friendly Visitors

After another two days in the hospital, they finally allowed Sunset to get out of bed and, after much insistence from Luna and Sunset, Celestia finally agreed to go home in the evenings. The green skinned nurse helped her into a wheelchair, careful to avoid Sunset's ribs. Sunset was shaky with her legs from the lack of use, it reminded her of how awkward they were when she first came to this world.

Sunset managed to take a shower alone with the help of a shower stool but with only one hand, it took her almost a full hour to clean herself. She was grateful, however, to be able to wear her pajamas opposed to the hospital gown.

She looked her right leg up and down; it was a mess. Large bruises and deep cuts were scattered around the skin. She could even see that a couple of them had stitches. _Those are going to leave some nice scars._

When she was finished, she begrudgingly returned to her bed where the nurse re-bandaged her leg and head then left her alone. It was fine though, for the last couple days, she found herself sketching a lot in the book Celestia and Luna gave her. It got out all her pent-up frustrations that she didn't know she had. Sunset was thoroughly enjoying herself and she was good at it. It was like a hidden talent she didn't truly realize she had until now.

One thing she found herself drawing was her friends. She was thankful for photographic memory as she could remember what her friends looked like down to the tiniest of details.

Sunset was in the middle of drawing something when Celestia walked in with two teas from Starbucks.

"Please tell me one of those is for me." Sunset said, eyeing the cups longingly.

"Of course." Celestia smiled, handing her one, "I wasn't sure what kind you would like so I took a guess."

Sunset took a sip and smiled, "Chai latte." She turned to Celestia, "It's actually one of my favorites, thanks."

The two sat in silence and drank their tea in silence, enjoying each other's company. That was, until, there was a commotion coming from down the hall. It sounded like four or five people trying to talk over each other. The voices drew within regular hearing range and it made Sunset pause with the cup halfway to her mouth when she recognized them.

"Sunset? Is everything alright?" Celestia asked worriedly.

Sunset shook her head and smiled widely, "Yeah, I'm fine."

There was a knock at the door, confusing Celestia until she too, heard the voices coming from outside.

She got up and opened the door, with a quick warning about Sunset's ribs. Pinkie Pie was the first one in, hugging Sunset's shoulders as to avoid her ribs but it still felt rather bone crushing.

"Sunset, we missed you so much!" Pinkie said, releasing her.

Fluttershy gave Sunset a longer but much gentler hug. "We're so glad you're alright. We were so worried about you."

"We wanted to visit sooner but it wasn't until this morning when V.P. Luna told us you could have visitors now." Rainbow explained.

"I must say," Rarity said, "For someone who…um…"

"Had a building dropped on them?" Sunset offered with a smile to let them know it was OK to talk about.

"Yes," Rarity continued, "You look rather…for lack of a better word, fine."

Sunset smiled, "That's what they keep telling me."

"So, what kind of injuries did you get?" Rainbow asked excitedly.

Fluttershy glared at her, "Have a little respect."

Sunset lay her casted hand on Fluttershy's shoulder, "It's fine. I actually found it interesting as well." She turned to Rainbow, "I got a really nasty concussion, the doctor is surprised that I don't have permanent brain damage." She gestured to the pad on her head, "It's probably going to leave a scar. I also have a couple stitches on my right leg and some serious bruising. Then I have a broken wrist and four broken ribs."

"Awesome!" Rainbow said excitedly then grabbed a sharpie out of Rarity's bag, "Can we sign your cast?"

Sunset held in a chuckle as she nodded, holding out her left arm. One by one, each girl signed the cast. She never understood the custom of signing casts in either world but, it made Sunset happy to see her friends happy. Besides, she wouldn't admit it out loud but she really missed them too.

They sat around and talked for a couple hours before they all had to get home, as it was a school night. Rarity and Fluttershy promised to be back the next day.

Once everyone was gone, Celestia and the doctor walked back in, though Sunset never noticed Celestia leaving.

"You've got some really good friends there." He commented.

Sunset smiled, "And I may never know what I did to deserve them."

The doctor chuckled then looked at his clipboard, "All of your vitals look good and your healing quite nicely." He raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" Celestia questioned.

He shook his head, "No, nothing's wrong. It's just… I'm confused."

Sunset gave him a questioning look. _Why? He's a doctor. He should know this stuff, right? Sweet Celestia, what if my blood type come out different? Could they tell I'm not human from that?_

"Well, a few days after waking up from a coma, I don't usually see patients doing physics homework." He explained, then chuckled, "You've just… bounced back. You do need to be careful of those ribs but other than that, I feel like I should just send you home."

Sunset took a few moments to process before her thoughts of possibly being discovered vanished. "Wait, really?"

He shook his head, "I said I _feel_ like I should, not that I was going to."

Sunset frowned slightly.

He sighed looking to Celestia, "We'll keep her here for another couple of days." Celestia nodded and then he looked at the clip board. "I'll order a C.A.T scan and X-ray in the morning. For now, though, sit tight."

He waved as he left the room, leaving Celestia and Sunset alone.

"Do you have quick healing in your world?" Celestia asked curiously.

Sunset thought for a minute then shook her head, "No. In Equestria, ponies tend to heal at the same pace as humans. I've been hurt before, but I've never bounced back like this."

Celestia hummed, "I guess that's a question for another day."

Sunset nodded then sighed, "I can't just sit here anymore. I need to at _least_ leave the room." She chewed her lip nervously, "Uh… I don't suppose…"

Celestia chuckled, "I'll go talk to the nurse and tell her that we're going for a walk."

The younger girl beamed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are seriously the best person in this world right now!"

She laughed at Sunset's over dramatic comment. After she went to talk to the nurse, she helped Sunset into a wheelchair and grabbed their jackets, simply draping Sunset's leather jacket over her shoulders.

It was cold, there was no doubt of that. It was mid-November so, in Canterlot, snow could come any day now. Sunset was never one for cold weather but at the moment, she relished in it. Being stuck in a stuffy hospital room for three days could make one appreciate the outside so much more.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Celestia started, drawing Sunset's attention, "There is a friend of mine coming to see you later."

"Who's that?" Sunset asked.

"Well, I guess, technically, she's your social worker."

"WHAT!?"


	34. Enter: Chrysalis

Sunset wasn't sure how to react to Chrysalis. She seemed nice enough but the term 'social worker' threw Sunset off a bit.

Chrysalis saw Sunset's analytical expression and knew it was directed at her.

"Does she always analyze people like this?" Chrysalis asked Celestia, finding the weight of the younger girl's gaze uncomfortable.

Celestia leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Sorry, I may have let it slip that you're her social worker."

Chrys looked to Sunset and chuckled then out right laughed. The sister's seemed amused by their friend's actions but Sunset was only left with a puzzled look on her face.

"Well this is an interesting development." Sunset muttered.

Once Chrysalis calmed down, she spoke, "Sorry, it's just, you have the wrong idea about me. Yes, I am a social worker, but I was only assigned to you out of necessity and a favor for Celestia. I can admit, despite my age, I'm no more mature than Luna."

Sunset smirked, remembering the former attempting to act sneaky nights before.

"I am too mature!" Luna protest in a manner that did little to prove her point.

Celestia shot her a challenging look.

"I can be!" Luna continued.

" _Outside_ of work?" Chrysalis asked, a knowing grin.

Luna went to protest but then straightened herself once again, "You're only as old as you feel."

The two older women laughed at her antics while Sunset hid her mouth behind her cast, doing her best not to laugh.

 _I really hope my ribs heal soon. Laughing hurts._ She thought as she let a small laugh escape.

Celestia saw Sunset wince as she chuckled, causing the older woman to frown a little but then smiled a little to see her enjoying herself.

"So, Sunset," Chrysalis looked unsure. She looked around to make sure the door was shut before continuing, "Are you really a magical talking unicorn."

If any of them were drinking anything at the moment, spit takes would have been imminent.

"You told her?!" Sunset gave Celestia mortified look.

Celestia glared at her sister. " _I_ didn't tell her anything."

"I'm sorry, OK?" Luna pleaded, "I tell her everything! Besides, she needed a bit of background information! I didn't tell her about the formal." She pouted.

Chrys raise a curious brow, "What happened at the formal?"

Celestia and Sunset both glared at Luna.

"Oh my god." Chrys's eyes widened in horror, "There's two of them now!"

Luna clung to Chrysalis as if she was going to save her, "I told you! They're like twins!"

"Why are you hiding behind me?" Chrysalis asked, pulling Luna in front of her.

"Cause they're not glaring at _you_!" Luna protested, moving behind her again.

Chrysalis pulled Luna back in front of her and on to her lap. She securely held the blue haired woman in place by wrapping her arms around her waist. Despite Luna's now deep, red blush, she still tried to escape, flailing her arms out in front of her while Chrys smiled contently.

By now, Celestia and Sunset had stopped glaring and watched, amused by the other twos' antics. Sunset had to admit that she found the sight of her Vice-Principal acting so childishly was comforting. She was pretty sure she would never find her scary ever again, even in school.

Luna eventually got free and cheered; "Ha ha! I am free! See you tomorrow Sunset." Then she ran out of the room.

Chrysalis smiled, "Nice meeting you, Sunset. I'll see you again soon." Her face morphed into a maniacal grin, "Now, I have to go capture the Princess." She then went after Luna.

Celestia and Sunset sat in silence for a few minutes, staring at the glass door, unsure of what to make of what had just transpired.

Sunset was the first to speak, "So…are they dating or something?"

"Oh, thank goodness, you see it too." Celestia exclaimed, dragging her hands wistfully down her face. "I knew I wasn't crazy."

"So that's a no?" she questioned.

Celestia shook her head, "No, but I've been watching this since our last semester in high school. It's getting ridiculous at this point."

Sunset nodded, "Not like you can force it."

Celestia sighed, "I wish."

Another moment of silence, Sunset remembered there was something she wanted to show Celestia.

She grabbed her sketch book and flipped to a page then turned to the older woman, "Hey, I want to show you something."

"What is it?" she questioned.

Sunset handed her the sketch book and Celestia gasped. It was a picture of a pure white horse with long legs and a large horn with a point so sharp it could impale someone if they weren't careful. She had a flowing mane with pale, sparkling pink, green and blue colors much like her own and wore a golden crown and what seemed to be necklace with a purple amethyst placed in the middle. On her flank, there was an orange and yellow sun designed with eight wavy spires coming from all directions. The massive white wings that flexed out only added to her regality.

In the picture, she looked out happily in the distance. The detail in the drawing only added to the awe in Principal Celestia's features.

"I this the Princess?" Celestia asked.

Sunset looked out the window on the opposite side of the bed, "Yeah. She's what you look like where I come from."

"Well," Celestia looked at the picture, "I can't say it's not odd, especially with the striking detail you gave her."

"I just thought that you might be curious about your interdimensional counterpart. I would have drawn Luna but I've only seen her pony form once and it was a very poor representation in a book." Sunset explained.

Her face contorted into one that Celestia could only describe as a cross between utter confusion and unsated curiosity.

"What's wrong?" Celestia asked.

Sunset shook her head, "Nothing it's just. The parallels in your world don't really add up."

"What do you mean?"

"In Equestria, you and Luna are both over a thousand years old and here, you're only in your thirties. That means you two haven't had a counterpart here for millennia but everyone else had. I probably have another me out there somewhere." Sunset explained, more to herself than directly at the older woman.

"I have to admit, it is interesting." Celestia said, "However, it isn't really in my area of expertise."

Sunset nodded, "I know, you seem more like the English teacher type. It was just a thought."

Celestia giggled, "Well I can't say your wrong. My sister on the other hand, would find this interesting. She's always loved the multi-whatever it is, theory."

"The multiverse theory?" Sunset questioned.

"Yes, I believe that was it."

"I might be wrong," Sunset inquired, "But I don't think I should get her started. She seems like the kind of person who will talk about something like this for hours."

"No," Celestia sighed, "You're correct. This is why she and our father get along so well."

Sunset raised her brow, "Is your dad a super nerd to?"

Celestia nodded, "He's the reason Luna is… well, Luna. My mother said he insisted on naming her after a comic book character or something."

After a short, painful laugh, Sunset looked at the clock and sighed, "Looks like it's getting pretty late, you should probably get home."

Celestia looked at the clock and frowned, setting Sunset's sketch book on the bedside table, "It seems so. Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

Sunset smiled, "Yes, I'm sure. I'm fine. I'm used to being alone so sometimes the silence is nice."

"That isn't helping your case." Celestia said seriously.

"Seriously, Principal Celestia, go home. I'm not going anywhere." Sunset insisted.

Celestia reluctantly grabbed her belongings and rested a hand on Sunset's shoulder and they said their goodnights. The woman suppressed the urge to kiss the teen on the head as her mother used to do. The entire arrangement was still too new for such…motherly, actions.

When Celestia was gone, Sunset carefully stretched her arms, though it was still mildly painful. She enjoyed the pleasant conversation she and Celestia had. It was nice to just have someone there to talk to, to care. It was refreshing.

She looked down at the picture she drew of Princess Celestia, _The more I'm around Principal Celestia, the more distant she becomes from the Princess. This Celestia is a lot more focused, she actually has time to care. She really does remind me of my mom but she's actually letting me be me. I don't have to prove anything._

Sunset smiled. It was strange, but as time goes on, she found that she was connected to this world more than the one she belongs in. Sure, Sunset still had a lot to learn about the world she was in, but as she looked out at the now rising moon, she knew that out of both worlds, the one she was in now had people that actually cared about her. However new it is, it's more than she had in Equestria.


	35. Last Day!

Sunset was woken up at an ungodly hour for an x-ray and C.A.T scan and Celestia was there for her the entire time. By the time they were doing the C.A.T Sunset was unable to move as her pain killers had worn off.

When she got back to her room, the graciously accepted the pills the nurse gave her and washed them down with a cup of water.

Fluttershy and Rarity came to see her in the afternoon and they had fun just talking and joking around. They talked about the band, which they had named, the 'Rainbooms' and how Fluttershy wrote a few songs.

Sunset flipped through the book Fluttershy kept the songs in and smiled, "Wow, Fluttershy, these are really good. You should play these at the showcase."

Fluttershy frowned, "I would like to, but Rainbow Dash has already written songs for it."

"So?" Sunset questioned, "You guys just started, why can't you change the set list?"

"That's what I've been saying." Rarity explained.

"I just don't want to step on her toes." Fluttershy frowned, "She said we'll play them eventually."

"Fluttershy, darling, you know Rainbow Dash better than anyone." Rarity said, "You need to be more assertive with her."

"Rarity's right." Sunset agreed with an encouraging smile, "If you want to play _your_ songs, you have to stand up for yourself."

"But I don't want her to get angry with me." Fluttershy said, "That would make me feel terrible."

 _Doesn't feel worse to be disregarded?_ Sunset thought but decided that would be crossing some sort of line.

They eventually dropped the subject until Fluttershy had to leave for the animal shelter.

"So," Rarity said, "Are you happy to be getting out of here tomorrow?"

"You have _no_ idea." Sunset heavily sighed, "Though I'm still going to be in bed for the better part of next week. I never thought that I'd be looking forward to going to school."

Rarity giggled, "Well, it is a bit odd. However, I do think you deserve to feel as such."

Sunset laughed but flinched soon after, "Ow. Still hurts to laugh."

"Are you alright darling?" Rarity asked worriedly.

Sunset waved her off, "Yeah, it's not the first time and I doubt it will be the last. I never knew people could laugh this much."

"It usually means that you're happy." Rarity smirked.

"Happy hurts." Sunset mock-pouted, enticing more, painful, giggles.

"Jokes aside," Rarity said, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thanks." Sunset smiled. She thought for a moment and thought of something she'd been meaning to ask about, "So, has everyone else…you know."

Rarity nodded, "We wanted to wait until you were out of the hospital to tell you. All five of us have started to, what Pinkie calls, 'Pony Up'."

"Pony up?" Sunset questioned, "I suppose it is an accurate way of putting it."

"You're not upset by it?" she asked, "Whether you admit it or not, we know it's why you weren't at school the week of the earthquake."

Sunset sighed, "I am but not that you 'pony up' in general but at how you got that ability to begin with." Rarity was about to say something but Sunset interrupted, "You can say that it wasn't my fault all you want but we both know that would be a lie. I'm going to have to live with my mistakes and I have accepted that. Besides, the more I think about it, the more I realize that it's not exactly a bad thing."

"What do you mean?" Rarity asked.

Sunset frowned and looked out the window, not saying a word.

Rarity took in her reaction and a lightbulb went off in her head. "Now, Sunset," She said sternly, "Don't be thinking like that. You aren't going to turn into that…that 'thing' again. You are a changed person and you _have_ to see that."

Sunset took a deep breath, _there's no point in arguing with her._

"I know that, Rarity." Sunset told her, "I'll get over it eventually."

Rarity looked unsure for a moment then quickly changed the subject, "Are you really going to be living with the Principal?"

Sunset nodded, "And Vice-Principal yeah. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around it."

"I can see why." She commented, "Especially with your past."

Sunset frowned.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Rarity said sincerely, "I didn't mean-"

"It's fine." She said, "I just…" Sunset groaned, "Can we just not talk about it please?"

"If that's what you want." Rarity told her, "If you ever want to talk, just let me know."

"Thanks." Sunset said, "So, what outfits are you making for your band?"

Rarity grinned and reached into her bag, pulling out a bejeweled sketch book and scooted closer to Sunset.

"I'm glad you asked!" she said excitedly, "No one seems to understand how costumes gives a performance a certain… je ne sais quoi."

Sunset smiled, "I know, in Equestria, we don't really wear clothes but when we do, they seem to personify our personalities. Mostly at higher functions though. I found it easier to read people here because humans always wear clothes."

"Hmm, you never struck me as a person who understands fashion." Rarity commented.

Sunset shrugged, "So, anyway, let's see what you got."

They spent the next hour looking over Rarity's designs. Sunset even gave her a few helpful suggestions regarding a couple. However, the day came to an end and it was time for Rarity to go home.

"I'm afraid I must be going." Rarity frowned, "But you _must_ let me use you as a model. Other than Fluttershy, you're the only one who seems to get my vision."

"Sure," Sunset smiled, "I'm glad I could help. Have a good night!"

Rarity smiled and waved, smiling at Celestia and Luna as the older women stepped back into the room.

"How long were you standing out there?" Sunset asked.

"About five minutes." Luna answered, "I didn't know two people could go on about clothes for so long."

"Sorry to make you wait." Sunset apologized, "You could have come in you know."

Celestia waved her off, "It's quite alright. She was here for so long; Luna and I had the chance to go grocery shopping."

"Yes, we had been running low on…well, everything." Luna said.

Just then, Chrysalis burst into the room and slammed the door shut and lowered the blinds.

"Got it!" She cheered as she held up two pizza boxes.

"Excellent." Luna and Celestia said simultaneously, each with their own grin.

Chrysalis pulled the table up to Sunset and sat at the edge of the bed and sat a box on top, "One cheese pizza for the kid," she handed Luna the other box, "And pepperoni and bacon for the rest of us."

Sunset stared at the box, almost drooling, "You are a saint."

Chrysalis chuckled as she grabbed a slice and bit into it, "I don't think your doctor would think so."

"True, but I don't care." Sunset said as she bit into a slice of pizza, "Thank you."

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." Doctor Wing said as he walked in. Everyone froze, trying to find an excuse for the scene in front of them, "I've been working long hours and my wife has been insisting on healthy meals for weeks." He shut the door, "May I _please_ have a piece?"

He sounded desperate, causing the group to laugh. Sunset waved him over and he graciously took a slice and started eating it.

"So," He said between mouthfuls, "All of your scans look good. Still not sure how you are as well as you are, but I'm going with it." The doctor took another bite and moaned, "This is so good."

Sunset chuckled, "Feel free to take another."

He immediately took her up on her offer and grabbed a piece of the cheese pizza, "Thanks. So, great news! I just got the OK to release you tomorrow morning!"

"Yes!" Sunset pumped her fist, immediately regretting it, gripping her ribs. "Ow!"

He chuckled, "You should probably avoid doing that though."

Sunset rolled her eyes, "Not kidding."

Celestia couldn't help but laugh.

"Here." He handed Celestia a slip of paper with Sunset's prescription on it, "This should last her a couple weeks then she'll have to live with aspirin."

"Thanks, Doctor." Celestia said.

Once the doctor finished inhaling his pizza he left the room.

"I'm so glad to be getting out of here." Sunset said, "I hate this place."

"You're not the only one." Luna shivered, "I'm not a fan myself."

"Then how about we all stop doing foolish things to end up in here." Celestia glared at the other three but no one said anything.

After a few, very awkward, minutes of silence, they continued eating with pleasant conversation. Sunset and Celestia smirked slightly every time they caught Luna and Chrys stealing glances at each other.

Overall, Sunset thought the evening was extremely pleasant and she was now far less nervous around Chrysalis, especially when the two got into a conversation about motorcycles. Sunset had always wanted to drive one and when Celestia heard this, she looked like she would pass out from either shock or fear. Probably both.

"Hey, I could teach you how to ride one." Chrysalis suggested, "They're much easier than cars."

"Really?" Sunset said excitedly.

"You are _not_ getting on one of those death traps!" Celestia protested.

"Awe man." Sunset pouted.

Chrysalis leaned up to Sunset's ear, "She'll wear down eventually."

"What was that?" Celestia asked rhetorically, glaring blazing daggers at Chrys.

"Well," Chrysalis said, "Assuming that she hasn't gotten her permit yet, she won't be able to get her license for over a year and she will probably want to drive _something_ before then. Alternate universe or not, she's still a teenager. Besides, a motorcycle license doubles as a permit _and_ she has to take classes before she can actually go out on a road."

Celestia continued her glare at Chrysalis then glanced at Sunset who wore a puppy dog pout, then back at the other woman, "No."

"I'll buy you cake every time she gets on one."

"We'll talk." Celestia said, continuing her glare.

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "Cake? Seriously? That's all it took?"

"You underestimate my sister and sweets." Luna said.

"I'm not _that_ bad." Celestia protested.

"Tia, you just changed your 'no' into a 'we'll talk'." Chrys told her.

"I was kidding." She sighed, but Chrysalis and Luna knew better than to believe her. "Anyway, it's getting late. We should let Sunset get some sleep."

Chrysalis and Luna waved and headed to Luna's car, leaving Celestia and Sunset alone.

"Tomorrow is going to be weird." Sunset said.

Celestia nodded, "Yes, but for you, I believe it will be a positive change."

"Thanks again." Sunset said, "For being here and not letting me go back on my own."

Celestia smiled, "It was my pleasure. Though I'm not sure if you'll be thanking me when you have to actually abide by the house rules."

Sunset shook her head, "I doubt they'll be much different than from what I'm used to, I know I'm probably not going to get as much freedom as I usually have though."

"We'll talk tomorrow, goodnight Sunset." Celestia leaned down to hug the girl.

Sunset returned the hug, "Goodnight."

With that, Celestia left Sunset alone. The flame haired girl turned out her over-head-light and hunkered down for the evening. She fell asleep to thoughts of the next day and the new chapter that she will be starting in her life.


	36. Release

Celestia woke up fairly early to do some basic house cleaning in order to prepare for Sunset finally getting out of the hospital, even if she was probably going to be resting in her room for the next few days.

Turns out, she wasn't exactly the quietest person while cleaning as Luna came stomping out of her room.

"Tia!" Luna yelled, "It is seven in the morning! I should not be awake until at least ten! The house is clean enough, I doubt Sunset will care if she sees a measly speck of dust."

"I know." She said as she sat down on the couch, "I'm just nervous. What if she doesn't like it here? We didn't exactly give her a choice."

"As far as Sunset goes," Luna stood next to the couch, arms crossed, "You have nothing to worry about. We have already explained this to her and she seemed genuinely thankful for what we're doing for her." She smirked, "Besides she _did_ say you reminded her of he-"

"Luna!" Celestia protested.

"What? I'm just saying, it is probably not going to be that much different from the last two months." Luna explained.

"Except that now, she'll be living under _our_ roof." Celestia groaned.

"Try not to think about it so much, Tia." Luna placed a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder, "Everything will be fine."

Celestia smiled, "You're right. I'm over reacting."

"Of course, I am!" Luna said proudly, then looked at the clock, "You should probably at least make her bed before you get her."

Celestia's eyes widened in realization, "I completely forgot!"

Luna chuckled as her sister ran upstairs.

"Is she done?" Chrysalis asked as she poked her head in from her guest room.

"I believe so." Luna said then giggled, "Remember when we were kids and she cleaned the entire house for that bird."

Chrysalis laughed, "Yeah and she had Discord come over to help her reach the top of the bookshelf."

"Ah yes. Good times." Luna smiled then stared at her friend, "I'm really glad you changed professions."

"I know." Chrys smiled at the smaller woman, "I don't think you and Celestia could handle another trip to the hospital."

Luna snorted, "A lot of good that did."

"At least it wasn't you or me again." She said.

"Chrys, I have only been in the hospital twice and one of them was my own stupidity." Luna said, "You have been in the hospital six times."

Chrysalis flinched for a moment at a memory then shrugged, "And you and Tia helped me each time. Besides, it was _because_ of you that I left the F.B.I. I didn't like seeing you so upset all the time."

They stood in silence for another few minutes, just smiling at each other until Chrys' watch beeped.

"Sorry, Lu." Chrysalis said, reaching into her room to grab her duffel bag. "I have to head out, can't blow off work forever."

"I know what you mean." Luna smiled, "I'm glad that my sister is coming back to school on Monday."

"What about the kid?" She asked.

"She'll probably be back sometime this week or next week." Luna explained, "I think it will be like pulling teeth getting her to stay put for _another_ week."

Chrysalis laughed, "I know the feeling. Anyway, bye Luna. I'll see you for the holiday break."

Luna gave her friend a hug and smiled, "OK, Chrys. And be careful on your bike," She leaned in close so only Chrysalis could hear, "I have a feeling you might need it to give someone lessons."

Chrysalis snorted, "Yes, and I think Tia is going to murder me." She smiled and gave Luna another hug, "Besides, I don't ride my baby in the winter, too icy."

Luna walked Chrysalis to the door.

"Bye, Celestia!" Chrys called.

Celestia appeared at the top of the stairs holding Sunset's backpack then came down to give the ebony skinned woman a hug, "Bye, Chrysalis. We're going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too." Chrys smiled, "Good luck with the kid. I think she's very lucky to have you two now."

Celestia smiled at that, "Me too." She looked at the clock, "Speaking of which, I've got to get going."

After one last goodbye, Chrysalis and Celestia went to their cars and drove off in their designated directions.

Luna shut the door and went into the kitchen, sitting at the island as she waited for the coffee to brew.

"Well this might be interesting." Luna mused, "Things are going to be changing a lot around here."

Sunset stood at the window in the hospital room, watching the cars pass by and cringing as she studied the snow that now covered the ground and trees. _I really have to get a winter jacket this year._

A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. Sunset turned slowly to see Celestia walk in with her backpack in hand.

"I wasn't expecting you to be awake this early." Celestia said.

Sunset shrugged, "I have a hard time sleeping here. Besides, they rebandaged my leg and got rid of the gauze pad." She pointed to her head which now only had three butterfly bandages holding the wound together. "The nurse showed me how to change them myself."

Celestia smiled and nodded, "Anyway, I have to go fill out your release forms." She set the bag on the bed then headed back to the door. "Get changed and I'll be right back."

Sunset nodded to her then limped to the bed, she opened the bag and began to get changed. Celestia and Luna had obviously salvaged a lot of her clothes. Slipping the track pants on was easy but the shirt was another story. It was not particularly easy slipping her shirt overhead, much less getting her arms in the sleeves. Overall, it was painful.

She was in the middle of trying to get her black sweater when Celestia walked back in, "Would you like some help."

Sunset sighed but flashed a grateful smile, "Yes, please."

Celestia helped sunset into her sweater then grabbed the girl's jacket. Once she zipped up her leather jacket, Sunset put on her scarf then shoved the pajamas along with her books and folders, into the bag and zipped it up.

Sunset attempted to pick up the bag but she dropped it as she winced in pain, tenderly gripping her side.

"Here." Celestia said as she grabbed it and sung it over her own shoulder, "This weighs a ton. The doctor told you not to over exert yourself or try to lift anything heavy."

Sunset crossed her arms and mumbled; "It's not that heavy."

Celestia rolled her eyes, "Uh huh."

Sunset snickered, "You sound like my Mom."

Celestia raised an eyebrow, "Oh really?"

"You just gave me that classic parental 'I know you're just being stubborn' look. My Mom, Mrs. Cake and Doctor Fauna give me that same look whenever I insist that I'm fine." Sunset explained.

"I can't say I blame them." Celestia smiled, "You just don't want people to worry about you. The truth is, Sunset, they see right through you and worry more."

Sunset just stared at her Principal in stunned silence for a moment before muttering, "OK, Sorry. Thanks."

"Looks like you're all ready to get out of here." Doctor Wing said as entered the room.

Sunset turned to him and grinned, "Yep! I'm seriously glad to get out of here. I don't even care that I still have to take it easy."

He laughed, "Yes, most people are. You were by far one of my easiest patients."

Sunset shrugged, "I try."

He chuckled, "So, I don't suggest going back to school right away but when you do, I suggest getting someone to help with your books." Sunset nodded. "In that case, I hear by release you." He bowed dramatically then smiled.

"Thank you, Doctor Wing." Celestia said as she shook his hand.

Sunset followed suit, waving to him with a quick thank you as she followed Celestia. Once they were in the elevator, Sunset found herself shuffling awkwardly next to the taller woman. When the doors opened, Sunset followed Principal Celestia through the halls and out the front doors.

"I hate winter." Sunset said as she shivered.

"That reminds me, do you have a winter coat?" Celestia asked, "We didn't find on in the wreckage."

Sunset shook her head, "Nope, never did. I had every intention of getting one this year though."

Celestia nodded, "In that case, I think we'll take a trip to the mall tomorrow if you are feeling up to it. The last thing we need is for you to get sick."

"It's fine, I can pick one up after school next month." Sunset said, knowing that arguing with her would be futile but it was worth a shot.

Celestia helped Sunset into the passenger side of her grey SUV then got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"I don't think so." Celestia said as she faced Sunset, "You are under my care; therefore, your health is my concern."

Sunset didn't say anything as Celestia pulled out of the parking lot and started to head towards the shopping district of the city. It wasn't very long until they pulled into the parking lot of an electronics store.

"What are we doing?" Sunset asked as she got out of the car with Celestia and followed her into the store.

"Your phone was surprisingly intact. I just had the screen replaced." She explained, "And I'm putting you on my phone plan."

Sunset looked incredulously at Celestia, "Why?"

"Because you need a phone and I don't want to risk you getting cut off." Celestia explained.

"A-alright." Sunset said as they got to the front counter.

Celestia talked to the salesperson and Sunset payed off her contract but that was the only thing Celestia allowed her to pay for. When they were done, they went back to Celestia's car and Sunset scanned her phone. It was exactly how she left it other than the hundred or so messages she got from her friends the first couple days she was in a coma.

She messaged the group chat stating that she had her phone back and this was her new number.

"Texting your friends?" Celestia asked.

"Yeah. It's kind of awkward to text with a cast on though." Sunset said, holding up her left arm.

"I would assume so." Celestia chuckled as she pulled onto the road, "Now, how about we go get something to eat?"

As if on cue, Sunset's stomach growled, "Yeah, that would be nice."

"Any requests?"

"Sugar Cube Corner?" She requested, "I miss their tea."

Celestia smiled, "Sugar Cube Corner it is. I haven't been there in a while either."

They drove in a comfortable silence. Sunset flipped through her phone and found a call she didn't make. It was to her boss.

"Hey, did you or Vice-Principal Luna use my phone when you found it?" Sunset asked.

"Why?"

"I just couldn't have made this call to work, I wasn't exactly conscious when the call was made." Sunset explained.

Celestia thought for a moment and realized what had happened, "I told Luna to let your boss know what happened so you wouldn't get in trouble."

"Oh. Uh thanks."

They pulled into the Sugar Cube Corner parking lot and headed inside, out of the cold. Sunset and Celestia were assaulted by the smell of freshly baked goods, making them both smile.

"Sunset?"

They looked over to a nearby table to see Mrs. Cake staring at them with a shocked expression.

Sunset flashed her a wide grin, "Hey, Mrs. Cake! How have you been?"

The older woman made her way over and looked Sunset up and down and eyed her cut on her head worriedly, "I'm a lot better now. I heard what happened from your friends. How are you feeling?"

Sunset held her smile, "I'm fine don't worry. They just let me out of the hospital today."

"The doctor said she should make a full recovery." Celestia explained.

"That's good to hear. You look well for someone who..." Mrs. Cake trailed off.

"Who had a building fall on top of them?" Sunset said, "I've been told by...well, everyone." She put her casted hand to her chin in thought, "I think it had something to do with the fact that I was on the third floor at the time. I don't remember anything though."

"Sunset, dear," Mrs. Cake smiled, "Would it be alright if I gave you a hug?"

Sunset met the woman's eyes and saw that she was trying to suppress her tears, so Sunset smiled, "Of course, just, careful of the ribs please."

In no time Mrs. Cake enveloped Sunset into a hug, one that the young girl returned.

Celestia thought it was a sweet scene to watch, even if she could see that Sunset was a little uncomfortable no matter how hard she tried to hide it. When the hug broke, Sunset was still smiling, showing Mrs. Cake that she was indeed, OK.

Mrs. Cake went over to the counter and took their orders then, Sunset and Celestia went to sit at a table in the corner by the window, just looking out in silence.

Celestia was first to speak, "So, I know that we haven't even made it to the house yet but I would like to get this over with now."

Sunset nodded, "Ground rules I'm guessing?"

"Yes," She replied, "Now, first, I know you're used to being able to go wherever and whenever you want. You're sixteen so I'm not too terribly concerned but I would like you to let me know where you are."

"OK, that's fair." Sunset agreed.

"Ten o'clock curfew on school nights." She added. Sunset chuckled. "Something funny?"

"No, sorry, it's just, it's later than my personal curfew." She explained, "In the end of town I was in, I didn't let myself stay out past 9:30 most of the time."

"I see. That makes matters easier for me I suppose." Celestia mused, "Oh, and Luna might actually kill you if you go into her room without permission."

"Totally understandable." Sunset nodded, "Anything else I should know about?"

"Not off the top of my head. The rest will come up as we come to it."

"I actually have an...odd question." Sunset said.

"What's that."

"It's been a bit of a mouthful to call you Principal Celestia all the time." Sunset explained, "I mean it's fine but, while I'm not at school, would, uh, can I just call you Celestia?"

Celestia smiled, "Of course, I was actually going to suggest it once you were settled into your new living situation so yes, you may call Luna and I but our first names while at the house but please refrain from doing so at school."

"Done." Sunset said.

Mrs. Cake came over with their teas and sweets a few moments later. The two of them ate and engaged in pleasant conversation, just enjoying each other's company until they were finished eating. They bid a goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Cake before getting in Celestia's SUV and heading to home.

 **Author's Note**

 **Sorry for being late! I didn't remember it was Monday until...today (Tuesday) At 1am.**


	37. New Home

Sunset got out of Celestia's SUV and followed her up the walkway. It had gotten colder since she left the hospital earlier in the day, so she was thankful that Celestia made her get a winter jacket. The warmth of the black and orange jacket was more than welcome in the cold air.

Celestia opened up the front door and stepped inside, holding the door open for Sunset, "Luna, we're here!"

Sunset nervously followed Celestia in taking their boots and coats off. They made their way through the house into the living room. Luna was sitting on the couch, fiddling with a laptop while the TV was playing some sci-fi movie.

"Hello." Luna turned and greeted, "How does it feel to be out of the hospital, Sunset?"

"Good." She replied, scanning the room, "It's nice to stretch my legs."

"That's good to hear." Luna scanned through the computer then set it down, "Did my sister lay the basic ground rules?"

"Call if I'm going to be late, don't go into your room, no-"

"That's all I need to know." Luna affirmed before walking off into the kitchen.

"Um, OK?" Sunset looked at Celestia with a confused expression, "Should I be worried?"

"Only if you go into her room." Celestia told her nonchalantly.

"Noted."

"So, I guess a tour is in order." She gestured to the room, "This is the living room."

Sunset snickered at the obvious statement but followed her through some double glass doors into a room with a huge table.

"This is the dining room." Celestia said.

She leads her through another set of doors, into a quite large, kitchen where Luna was sitting at the island, looking at her phone with a glass of juice in front of her.

"Kitchen." Celestia said simply, "You are welcome to use or eat anything in here-"

"Except for the alcohol in the cupboard above the fridge." Luna stated, never taking her eyes off her phone.

"Right, that's off limits." Celestia agreed, "I also did some shopping yesterday and got more vegetables and other alternatives for meals for you as well."

"You really didn't have to." Sunset stated, "I don't really want to put you two out."

"If we thought you were going to 'put us out'," Luna turned to look at Sunset, "We would have abandoned this idea months ago. You are now living here so it's only right that we make sure there is food you actually like. Celestia and I understand why you don't eat meat and we accept that."

"I can eat chicken and turkey though." Sunset claimed.

"Now I'm lost." Celestia said.

"I just won't eat meat with hooves." Sunset explained, "In Equestria, those types of animals were sentient. Chickens here are just…chickens. It was just easier to tell people I was vegetarian because I couldn't exactly tell them why I would only eat chicken. Besides, I never got meat that often to begin with so it didn't matter."

"I see." Celestia thought, "I suppose that makes sense. Anyway, shall we continue?"

Sunset nodded and they continued the tour. She was especially impressed with the massive study that no doubt took up a quarter of the house on its own. Next, was the guest room and the downstairs bathroom. The basement was apparently something Luna would show her eventually so, they then made their way upstairs.

"My room is just at the end of the hall to the right. The bath room is here," She pointed to the only other door on the right, "And this, is now your room." Celestia lead Sunset inside and let Sunset look around a bit, setting her bag on the bed.

Sunset looked around and was in awe. It was clear that the room was furnished with her in mind. There were a couple band posters she enjoyed on the walls and the two bookshelves were filled with books, some hers and others were new. There were little trinkets that Sunset thought were cool. One of the shelves held binders, drawing supplies and her extra picks and extra guitar strings she usually kept in her suitcase.

One thing that made her smile was the duvet on the bed. The base was black but the design made it look like a rainbow of paint dripping down a black background. The entire room just screamed 'Sunset Shimmer' right down to the dark red walls.

"Honestly, I thought you only half listened to most of what I was saying." She said as she eyed one of the posters.

"Sunset, I always listened. I wouldn't have been a very good councilor if I didn't." Celestia smiled, "Do you like it?"

Sunset nodded, "You and Luna did all this for me?"

"Of course." Celestia said, "I wasn't kidding when I said you were going to stay here whether you liked it or not. The least we could do was make you feel comfortable."

Sunset walked up and gave Celestia as big a hug as she could manage without hurting herself which the older woman returned gently.

"Thank you. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Her voice was muffled a bit but Celestia could hear that she was on the brink of happy tears.

"Sunset, you deserve to have the same chances as everyone else." Celestia said, "I'm happy you like it. Luna even picked the bedding."

Sunset pulled away and smiled, "You two did a great job."

"So, I will let you get settled and I will come get you for dinner later, OK?" Celestia said, "Feel free to ask if you need anything."

"I will, thanks." Sunset smiled as Celestia left and shut the door behind her.

Sunset sat on the bed, _her bed_ and scanned the room again. It really was very comforting and homey it reminded her of… what did it remind her of? Has anywhere she lived felt homey to her?

 _I guess this is a first. I never really felt like I could let my walls down like this in my room before._ She thought.

Sunset opened her bag and took out its contents, putting her homework on the desk and putting her dirty clothes into the hamper then sat on the bed and laid down. She reflected on the day, it wasn't even three and she was already physically and emotionally exhausted. Sunset relaxed into the queen-sized bed and hummed at the comfort it offered.

 _I haven't slept in a real bed since I was in Equestria._ She thought to herself, _A few minutes wouldn't hurt._

Celestia and Luna sat at the kitchen island waiting for the spaghetti to finish. It was no surprise that the red head upstairs was the topic of conversation.

"So, how is she?" Luna questioned.

"Good, she just needs time to adjust." Celestia said.

"How are you?"

Celestia sighed deeply, "Relieved that she's out of that building, here and alive."

Luna chuckled, "I bet." She looked away and tapped her nails against the counter, "I don't suppose that you'd be going back to work on Monday?"

Celestia laughed, "We'll see. I might wait until Tuesday, make sure Sunset's settling all right."

"Tia, _she's_ been telling you to go to work for the past week." Luna said.

Celestia thought for a moment before responding, "I see your point."

Luna got up and checked the sauce and noodles, "It's done. You want to go get the kid?"

Celestia nodded and made her way up stairs. It was strangely quiet so Celestia gently knocked on the door. When she didn't get a response, she pushed it open. She smiled as she spotted Sunset rolled on to her uninjured side, sleeping soundly on the bed. Celestia didn't want to disturb her but since Sunset was just released from the hospital and she was still healing, the girl needed to eat.

Gently, Celestia knelt down and shook her shoulder, "Sunset. Sunset, wake up."

Sure enough, the girl stirred. She flinched for a moment as she opened her eyes until she relaxed upon realizing where she was.

"Sorry," Sunset mumbled, sitting up slowly, "I was just so comfortable that I couldn't help it."

"No need to apologize." Celestia assured her, "I'm glad you feel so comfortable. Besides, you've had a long day." She stood up and started out of the room, "Now, come get something to eat."

Sunset got out of the bed and followed Celestia into the dining room where Luna already sat, her back to the kitchen. The table was already set with plates, forks, knives and the makings of spaghetti. Each of the three places had a glass of milk in front of it as well.

She was unsure of where to sit so Sunset waited until Celestia to take a seat at the head of the table until she sat across from Luna. Starting with Luna, they passed the noodles and sauce clockwise until all three had food on their plates.

Luna immediately started to dig in followed by Celestia. Sunset followed suit and picked up her fork, spinning noodles around the tongs and shoved it in her mouth.

"Wow, this is really good." Sunset commented.

Luna grinned with pride, "Thank you, Sunset. I'm glad you like it."

"Yes, Luna is the one who usually makes the spaghetti. I seem to always mess up the sauce." Celestia told her.

"True," Luna replied, "But you are better at making literally anything else."

"Can you cook, Sunset?" Celestia asked.

Sunset shrugged, "Kind of. All I can do is barbeque. I'm pretty useless if it has anything to do with a stove."

Luna leaned over towards her sister, "Tia, it's finally happening!"

"What?" Sunset questioned, "What's happening?"

Celestia smirked, "Luna and I set anything we barbeque on fire."

"Yes," Luna nodded, "We usually have to wait until Chrysalis or Discord visit to use our barbeque."

Sunset laughed and winced but the pain wasn't as bad this time. "I understand, believe me. Remember when you had to call the fire department during home economics because I set the cupboards on fire?"

"Yes, that's the reason we banned you form even entering that room without someone accompanying you." Luna remembered.

"Thus, I haven't been in there since." Sunset joked.

They continued to eat their meals and Sunset was the first to finish, grateful for a meal that wasn't hospital food or greasy. The best part, Sunset believed, was that it was a genuine home cooked meal. Something that she never realized she missed.

"Would you like help cleaning up?" Sunset asked.

"No." Celestia said, "You're still hurt and if you want to go back to school at some point next week, you'll just rest."

"But I-"

"No." Celestia interrupted.

Sunset sighed in defeat, "Fine."

"Why don't you go up to your room or get a book and relax in the living room?" Celestia suggested.

Sunset nodded, "I'll be upstairs. If, um, that's alright."

"Of course, it is." Celestia said.

"Remember, Miss Shimmer, this is your house now too. You do not need to ask to go somewhere." Luna told her.

Sunset smiled and headed back upstairs.

She shut her door and stood in the middle of the room, looking around. **_My_** _room. This is my room._ Sunset couldn't help but smile at the thought. It was warm, clean, and she didn't have to lock it in concern for intruders. However, the best part was the two women down stairs. It was now a new reminder that she wasn't alone, not anymore.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **I have made the decision to move up my posting to end the story on July 28th because I want to use is it as my entree for Wattpad's Wattys awards and the deadline is August 1st.**

 **I'm really sorry but I'm affraid I have to post two days a week instead of Monday.**

 **HAHA Really horrible isn't it?**

 **New post days are Mondays and Thursdays.**


	38. Day 2

Sunday came and went, and though it was only Sunset's second day, it was fairly relaxed. The youngest member of the house spent the majority of her time in her room, working through her homework. When Celestia had gone in to check on her, Sunset didn't notice her entry due to the music in her ear buds and the undivided attention she was giving her Physics homework. Celestia watched her work for a few minutes and was astonished at the speed she was going at, with a broken wrist no less.

Shortly after that Celestia had given her a tour of the study and explained how the majority of the books were organized. To no surprise, it was very similar to CHS's library. Sunset had sat in a chair near Celestia's desk and read a book from the shelf.

For dinner they had take-out and Luna assaulted her with various questions and was appalled to hear that Sunset had only ever watched the education films in school and one on Halloween with her friends. She swore that the next weekend, they would catch her up on 16 years' worth of movies.

Celestia smiled as she sat in the kitchen on Monday morning after Luna went to work. She did feel bad that her sister had to spend at least another few days running the school alone but she wasn't quite ready to leave Sunset alone yet and, neither was Sunset.

It was close to ten when Sunset came down the stairs sleepily, and… painfully?

"What's the matter, Sunset?" Celestia asked worriedly.

Sunset grabbed a cup of coffee and sat across from Celestia, "My ribs hurt."

Celestia got up and grabbed something from the microwave then set it down in front of Sunset, "Sorry, I forgot to give these to you the other day. They're for the pain."

Sunset read the bottle and took out one of the tablets and washed it down, "Thanks."

"So other than that, how are you feeling?" The tall woman asked.

"Fine, I guess." Sunset said, "But if I'm honest, I'm still getting used to everything."

"That is to be expected." Celestia confirmed, "Luna and I are still adjusting as well."

It was silent for another few moments before Sunset spoke, "So, I finished all my homework for the last few weeks."

"All of it?" Celestia questioned, "Even art."

"Yep!" Sunset said proudly, "I didn't want to be behind everyone else when I go back." She sighed, "Do I have to go back?"

Celestia chuckled, "Nice try but you do still need to go to school." She leaned forward to look Sunset in the eyes, "It _will_ get better eventually, Sunset. Just give it time."

She groaned, "I know. You're right but it's just…hard."

"You're a strong girl Sunset, I know you can make it through this." Celestia told her, "You also have your friends, Luna and myself to help you if you need it."

Sunset smiled as she finished her coffee, "Thanks, that actually means a lot coming from you. Speaking of which, when _do_ I get to go back to school?"

Celestia pursed her lips in thought, "Well, I was planning on going back myself tomorrow but I still want you to rest for a couple more days."

Sunset nodded, then grinned, "Wednesday then?"

Celestia shot her a playful glare, "Don't push it."

Sunset raised her hands in defeat then they both broke out laughing. It wasn't that Sunset _wanted_ to go back, it was just that she was bored just lying in bed all day. She was used to moving around during the day.

"Um, can I take a shower, please?" Sunset asked nervously, still somewhat feeling like a guest in Celestia and Luna's house.

"Of course. You don't have to ask." Celestia said.

"Thanks." Sunset replied while putting her cup in the dishwasher.

Sunset finished washing herself and stood under the water, letting it run down her neck and back. The spot between her shoulder blades felt odd as the water streamed down the still healing scars.

 _I don't know how I got so lucky._ Sunset thought to herself, _I have people who actually care about me, who want to genuinely help me. It's different but it's…nice. This is probably what the Princess tried to show me._ Sunset frowned, remembering the day that lead to her jumping through the portal.

"I'm sorry Princess Celestia. If only I could tell you that myself." Sunset said, turning off the shower and drying herself before putting on a fresh pair of pajamas.

She looked at herself in the mirror, staring herself right in the eyes. _I know I didn't deserve this chance, no matter what Principal Celestia says but I'm not going to prove her wrong._

Sunset closed her eyes and took a deep breath and exited the bathroom then went into her room, shutting the door. She grabbed her sketchbook and pencil case and sat on the bed, using the pillows to support her back and used her knees to support the book.

At first, she wasn't sure what she was drawing, but after a few strokes of her pencil, she began to develop a picture in her mind. She sat drawing for hours, making sure every detail was perfect. It got to the point where Celestia got concerned and went to check on her, only to find her huddled over her sketch book.

It was late in the day when she finished, Sunset was sure that she'd heard Luna come in the house at some point. She smiled at the drawing, it was much more detailed than anything else she'd ever done and, it gave her some closure.

When there was a knock on the door, Sunset told them to come in.

"Sunset?" Celestia said, "How are you doing? You haven't moved in hours."

Sunset looked at the clock, eyes widening as she saw that it read five PM, "Wow, I didn't realize it was so late. Sorry."

"No need to apologize, I'm glad you're resting." Celestia said, "What were you drawing?"

Sunset handed Celestia the sketch book and the older woman was in a stunned silence. Just when she thought Sunset couldn't surprise her, she proves her wrong.

The entire sheet of paper was covered with the most detailed scene she'd ever witnessed on paper. It went back to the night of the fall formal. Where Sunset's demon was trying to blast Twilight and her friends with magic, only in this picture, Sunset was also facing the demon. The Princess and her friends stood behind her as Sunset blocked the Demon's magic with some kind of force field. Sunset, in the picture, looked angry and determined. There were tears in her eyes that were getting blown away by the wind.

Sunset had drawn every strand of hair that was out of place, every whisk and current from the magic, rough lines created the illusion of a force field.

"This is amazing." Celestia awed, "I can't believe you drew this."

Sunset smiled, "Thanks. I'm glad it turned out. It was mostly to give me closure."

"Closure?" Celestia questioned.

"After the formal, I was having nightmares about that night and they always kept getting worse." Sunset explained, "Then, on Halloween I had that one dream about magic. I actually talked to my demon and then, as she went to blast the girls, she told me that if I wanted to protect them, save them."

"I see." Celestia nodded, "You have a talent nonetheless." She looked at the picture again, "Have you had those dreams recently?"

Sunset shook her head, "I had it a couple times while I was in the hospital but not in the last few days." She kept her gaze low and off to the side.

Celestia placed a hand on Sunset's shoulder, drawing the teens eyes to her own, "Sunset, you know that having nightmares like that isn't good for you. You need to tell me if something is wrong. Some things you can't lust leave to chance. Your mental health is one of them."

"I know, I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Sunset frowned.

"While we're on this topic, I have something to ask you." Celestia said.

"What is it?" Sunset asked.

"I think I already know the answer but… where did you get the scars on your back?"

Sunset stiffened, just the mention of them made her re-live the pain and feeling of having no control. "Th-they were from the wings. They healed quickly because of elements but, dark magic takes a toll on the body. It always leaves some kind of mark and those are mine." Her expression was sad and Celestia could see some tears start to form.

The older woman reached over and pulled Sunset into a hug. Sunset accepted and squeezed her teacher and caretaker. They were in such a position that they didn't have to worry too much about Sunset's ribs.

"I had no idea, Sunset I'm sorry." She said.

"I didn't tell you so you couldn't have." Sunset said into her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"Sunset, honey," Celestia pulled away and looked the younger in the eyes, "I've been worrying about you since before the formal and even more so afterwards. It's the reason why I didn't want to expel you."

Sunset was at a loss for words. She had no idea how to respond to Celestia's statement.

After a few minutes, Celestia decided to change the subject, "Now, How about some pizza?"

"Pizza?" Sunset said in a restrained, but still excited tone.

"Yes, we didn't feel like cooking so we ordered pizza." Celestia confirmed.

Sunset was on her feet in a flash and waited patiently for a giggling Celestia to lead them down the stairs.

Sunset smiled as she sat next to Luna on the couch with a couple slices of cheese pizza.

She glanced at the two women in the room. _Since before the formal. They took me in they made sure I couldn't argue._

Sunset thought back to all the times she was in trouble, all the times she was suspended, all the times they _should have_ kicked her out of school.

 _Was I ever **really** alone here?_

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Welcome to Thursday post day. I have been busy moving stuff for the last couple days but luckily, I go this chapter set up on Tuesday so we are fantastic!**

 **Just letting you guys know that I am working on 2 new stories, one for the Marvel universe and one that isn't fanficiton but still in the sci-fi/fantasy genre.**

 **If you like my writing and super heroes, you should follow me on Twitter and/or so I can focus on writing and school, support me on . I have 12 story's that I want to write, some fanfiction some not.**

 **One last question, if I were to start posting videos on YouTube, what stuff would you like to see? I am a writer through and through but I also read and draw and for some odd reason, just find out interesting facts that seem to come in handy. So, what would you like to see from me?**

 **Thanks for your support and I will see you on Monday!**


	39. Welcome Back

"So, you have movies, I've shown you how to use the TV, you have books and access to the kitchen." Celestia listed off, "Are you sure you're going to be OK here alone?"

Sunset sat in her bed and nodded, "Celestia, I'm fine, you're only going for the afternoon."

"I know but you have only been here a few days, I feel horrible for leaving you alone." Celestia said.

"You've been looking over me since the earthquake." Sunset said, "You've put everything on hold for me. I'll be fine."

"You are so mature for someone so young." Celestia smiled, "Anyway, I want you to rest today. Lay in bed or on the couch but I don't want you moving around too much."

Sunset rolled her eyes, "OK."

The older woman sighed, _And there's the teenager attitude._

Celestia gave Sunset a hug and gave a small wave as she left the room and exited the house.

Sunset relaxed into her bed. Though she wasn't particularly keen on the idea of being left alone, she knew Celestia still had a school to run and Luna couldn't do it alone. Besides, it was only four hours until one of them got home, Sunset just needed a distraction.

She got up and went over to the TV where she had put the movies Luna lent her. It was a series and Luna told her they had to start with a certain one. _Well I have nothing better to do._

Sunset put the disk in the player like Celestia had showed her and turned the TV on. She brought the remote over to her bed and got comfortable.

Luna came home around 5 and Celestia had to stay at the school later because of the paperwork Luna couldn't do. Celestia said that she'd grab something for dinner on her way home so Luna was free to relax.

"Sunset, I have returned!" Luna called but was met with silence. _What is she up to?_

Luna climbed the stairs and approached Sunset's room. She heard some familiar explosions a mechanical noises so she knocked on the door and went inside. Sunset was laying in her bed, eyes glued to the TV across the room. Luna grinned at the two men in battles suits hashing it out on screen.

When Sunset noticed Luna watching the screen, she paused the movie. "Hey, how was work?"

"Fine considering its work." Luna responded. "You watched 'The First Avenger' first, right?"

Sunset nodded.

"And what did you think?" Luna asked hopefully.

"I loved it!" Sunset said excitedly, "I was really mad that Bucky died though. He was my favorite."

Luna smiled at the small pout on the younger girl's face. "I'm glad, how are you liking Iron Man?"

Sunset gave a wide grin, "Tony Stark is a great person and no one can tell me different."

"I like your attitude." Luna chuckled, "Mind if I watch the rest with you?"

Sunset nodded. Luna walked over and sat down on the other side of the bed.

"Where's Celestia?" She asked.

"She had to stay late to finish up her paperwork that I wasn't authorized to do for her." Luna explained.

Sunset nodded and pressed play on the movie.

When it was done, Sunset and Luna were quick to agree to put on another one.

"OK," Sunset said as the credits rolled, "I get why Bruce left but still! He should have at least taken her with him. Even _I_ could see that he would never hurt her even as the Hulk!"

Luna nodded, "I have to agree, he just ended up hurting her in the end. But to be honest, this movie can be considered non-canon and you don't _actually_ have to watch it. It's just good for understanding the Hulk."

Sunset nodded in understanding as there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

"What are you two up to?" Celestia asked.

Luna smiled, "Sunset was watching Iron Man so I joined her."

"Then we put on 'The Incredible Hulk'." Sunset explained.

Celestia smiled and nodded, "I see. I'm glad to see that you two have some common ground. Who's your favorite so far Sunset?"

"Bruce Banner." She replied, "He's a misunderstood person and I respect that."

Celestia hummed, "I am fairly partial towards Black Widow myself."

"Who?" Sunset questioned.

Luna patted Sunset on the shoulder, "You'll get there."

"Any way, time to eat. I brought burgers." Celestia tempted as she left the room.

After a quick glance to each other, Luna and Sunset left the room quickly and headed down stairs.

They sat in the living room eating in silence.

Celestia polished off her burger and turned to Sunset, "Alright, you can go to school tomorrow under two conditions."

Sunset swallowed a fry and gave Celestia her full, undivided attention.

"One, you only carry what you need for you class and I will carry your bag to your locker for you in the morning." Celestia explained and Sunset nodded, "And I don't want anyone except your friends to know where you are living. I know how teenagers can be and you are already having problems at school."

"OK, I can do that." Sunset agreed.

Celestia nodded, accepting her answer and sighed, "Alright then."

Sunset grinned and gave Celestia a light hug. Though it was true Sunset was nervous about dealing with the other students again, she was tired of just sitting around and she really missed her friends.

Sunset took to her room shortly after to tell her friends that she was going back to school. Of course, they were excited even after Sunset told them that no one else could know that she was living with the Principal and Vice-Principal. Rarity and Fluttershy also told her they were sure that it should be a lot more relaxed around CHS now. Everyone had seemed to calmed down from the formal.

"Sunset?" Celestia asked as she poked her head in the room.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to let you know we need to be out of the house by 6:30 tomorrow morning." She said.

Sunset looked at the clock and nodded. "That's only a half hour earlier than I left when I lived in that building."

Celestia nodded, "Alright, good night."

"Night." Sunset replied as Celestia shut the door.

Sunset set her alarm and plugged her phone in on her desk out of habit. Then she packed her school bag with her things, including her two weeks' worth of homework and her sketch book. She got out her clothes for the next day and crawled into bed.

It took her a few moments to fall into a dreamless sleep.

Sunset groaned as her alarm blared. _Ugh, it's too early to be awake._

Still, she turned it off and groggily pulled herself out of bed. She pulled her clothes on then went to brush her teeth.

Celestia knocked on the bathroom door, "Sunset, breakfast is ready."

Sunset spat the toothpaste in the sink, "Alright." She replied as she rinsed and headed down stairs.

Luna was already sitting at the island, digging into to her bacon and eggs. Celestia carried two plates from the stove to the island and set them both down, taking a seat in front of one. Sunset took the remaining seat. When she looked down at her plate and at the other two women's, she smiled lightly. Hers was the only one lacking bacon, replaced with toast and peanut butter.

Since it was early, the three of them sat and ate in silence. Out of all of them, Celestia was the only one that seemed fully awake, sipping her preferred tea while Luna and Sunset practically inhaled their coffee, Luna wordlessly refilling both their mugs.

Celestia went upstairs and soon came down with both Sunset's school bag and her own laptop bag, "If you two are finished," She said, "It's getting late."

They both looked at the clock and groaned, getting up, chugging the rest of their coffee, then dragged their feet to the door.

Celestia giggled, "I don't know why you're so sluggish, Sunset. You were the one who wanted to go back to school."

"I messed up my sleep habits the last few weeks." She yawned, "It' going to take me a bit to get back into it."

Celestia nodded as she opened the front door and held it open for Luna and Sunset. Luna walked over to her own car and rested her head on the steering wheel while Celestia and Sunset got into the SUV, giggling at Luna's antics.

"So, do you remember the rules?" questioned Celestia.

Sunset nodded, "You carry my books to my locker, I only carry what I need per class, no gym and come to see you after Lunch for my medication."

Celestia nodded, satisfied with Sunset's response. She started the car and allowed Sunset to choose a station. Sunset sang quietly the song and at first, Celestia thought it was the radio, but then realized, the sound of the voice was different from the radio. She looked over to Sunset who was focused out the window but, in the reflection, she could see the younger girl's lips moving.

She listened until the song was over and the radio announcer came on, "I didn't realize you could sing."

Sunset jumped a bit at the sudden voice then simply shrugged.

"Are you going to sign up for the showcase in January?" Celestia asked.

"No. I'd rather the rest of the students enjoy the show case than walk out simply because I'm in it." Sunset said begrudgingly.

"I think you are exagerating." Celestia said, "The other students are excited about the showcase, they won't let your presence ruin it for them."

"I guess." Sunset sighed, "Still, I don't want to take my chances. I'm just going to support my friends from the sidelines."

"What if they ask you to join?" Celestia asked.

"They won't." She said, "I didn't even tell them I played guitar. Besides, Fluttershy is a way better singer, so is Rarity. If they ask, sure, but they won't."

Celestia dropped the subject, finding that it was _way_ too early to argue with a teenager.

They pulled into the staff parking lot moments later then made their way inside the school. Luckily, it was too early for most students to be at school already, save for the sports teams or clubs with morning meetings.

Sunset lead Celestia to her locker and opened it, confetti shooting out with a small banner that read ' _Welcome Back Sunset Shimmer!_ '. Sunset smiled, _Pinkie Pie._

"It seems your friends are happy for your return." Celestia said.

Sunset nodded, taking her things out of her bag that Celestia was holding and stacked them in their rightful places in her locker, leaving only her Physics things and sketch book in her bag. After zipping it up, Celestia allowed her to sling it over her right shoulder.

"Would you like to wait with me in the office until your friends start to arrive?" Celestia asked.

Sunset nodded, giving the older woman a small smile, following her back to the Principal's office.

It was a good half hour until students started showing up to school. The entire time, Sunset was hunched over her sketch book in the chair across from Celestia's desk. Every so often, the Principal looked up at the girl who wore a small smile as she focused on what she was doing.

Sunset looked at the clock and bid Celestia a goodbye before she left to meet her friends.

Of course, Sunset was the first to arrive at hers and Fluttershy's lockers, leaning against her own as she waited for her friends. She watched as the students that saw her gave her slightly relieved looks followed by the usual glares. However, they weren't as hostile as they had been three weeks prior. Still intimidating though.

Sunset leaned back and took a deep breath. _I can do this._

Just then, she heard a few familiar voices call her name from down the hallway. She turned her head to see Pinkie walking down the hall with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

"Sunset!" Pinkie said as she wrapped her in a hug. Thought it was lighter than usual, it still wasn't soft.

"Ouch! Careful Pinkie Pie." Sunset said, causing the other girl to pull back and give her an apologetic look. "I'm glad to see you too." She smiled.

Fluttershy gave her a hug as well then pulled back with a concerned look, "Are you sure you're OK to be back at school so soon? You just got out of the hospital on Saturday."

Before she could answer, Rarity appeared, along with Applejack, waving at Sunset, smiling brightly.

"Sunset!" Rarity said, "I'm surprised to see you back so soon."

Sunset shrugged, then gestured for the others to gather closer and spoke so only they could hear her, "I'm fine. My ribs still hurt a bit but Principal Celestia said, that as long as I'm careful, I could come back."

"OK," Applejack said, "But why are ya whispering?"

"Principal Celestia told me that, other than you guys, no one else can know where I'm living now." Sunset explained, still speaking in her hushed voice.

"I suppose it's for the best." Fluttershy said, "Considering how the rest of the students see you, it could make it worse."

Sunset nodded, "Exactly." She stood up normally and spoke at her regular volume, "I'll talk to you guys at lunch."

She waved to her friends but before she disappeared, Applejack and Pinkie caught up to her, walking on either side.

"We'll walk you." Applejack said.

"Why? You're classes aren't even close to the science wing." Sunset asked.

"Because silly," Pinkie said in her upbeat tone, "You're still hurt and we don't want any meanies walking into you on purpose."

Sunset wanted to argue but could see their point.

The two girls walked Sunset all the way to her desk before leaving, telling her that they would come get her after class. Not seeing a valid reason to argue, Sunset agreed and waved the girls off and waited for class to start.


	40. The Mall

Sunset's first few days back at school were better than she expected. For the most part, unless someone referred to the formal, everyone pretty much ignored her. It was surprisingly comforting to know that, though the students still didn't particularity like her, they left her alone. It most likely had a lot to do with what happened in the cafeteria the week Sunset was still in a coma.

Saturday morning, Sunset woke with a start, gasping for air. Another nightmare plagued her dreams. Now though it was of Sunset, yet again taking advantage of magic, her friends magic. All it resulted in was the demon inside her taking over.

After a few moments, she shook the thoughts from her head and looked around her room. She was still having trouble believing it was truly hers. It was almost like a dream that she would wake up from at any moment.

Sunset walked into the kitchen and found Celestia doing some work on her laptop, already fully dressed. When the older woman saw her, they exchanged smiles as Sunset put some bread in the toaster and sat across from her.

"How did you sleep?" Celestia asked.

"Good." Sunset said, choosing not to tell Celestia about her nightmare.

"I'm glad to hear." Celestia smiled.

When the toaster popped, Sunset grabbed the cream cheese form the fridge and spread it on the toast then returned to the table where she began to munch on her breakfast.

"So," Celestia said as she saved her document and closed the computer, "Do you have anything planned with your friends today?"

Sunset swallowed her bite and shook her head, "No, why?"

"Well, I thought you and I could take that trip to the mall." Celestia said, "I would like to get you some new clothes. A lot of the ones you have now are old and tearing…or charred."

Sunset's eyes widened, "You, uh, don't have to do that. When I go back to work, I can buy my own clothes."

Celestia looked softly at Sunset, "I _want_ to. I know most girls your age buys their own clothes but, this is more of a necessity than a luxury. When was the last time you had new clothes?"

"I generally go to the thrift store." Sunset explained, "Since coming here, I've been growing too fast to warrant new clothes every three or four months."

Celestia placed a finger to her chin in thought, "Well in this world, most teenage girls, for the most part, start to slow down in their growth by now. Besides, you need warmer clothes all together. It's the middle of winter and wearing only your skirts are going to get you sick."

"But I can pay for them myself." Sunset pouted.

Little did they realize, Luna had been standing at the entryway, listening to their entire conversation. She sighed at Sunset's resistance and maturity that, in all honesty, was well beyond her years.

Eventually, she intervened, "Stop arguing with her. My sister has made up her mind."

Sunset studied Celestia's adamant, authoritative gaze and sighed, "OK, fine."

Celestia smiled then sent the teen upstairs to get ready.

Luna sat where Sunset had been and looked her sister in the eyes, "Tia, I think you need to make her understand her knew situation. I do not think she will come to the conclusion on her own."

Celestia sighed, "I know, but if I out right tell her, I'm afraid she might distance herself. She's only been here a week."

Luna raised a brow, "Yes and in that week, she's already dropped her guard, she's allowed herself to have full reign of the kitchen, even indulges herself in a snack when she's studying _and_ lest we forget that her and I were lying in her bed watching 'The Incredible Hulk'."

"Yes, but she still feels nervous at dinner and us giving her things in the first place." Celestia said.

"That's because she's still partially acting as if she's still a guest and we'll throw her out if she does anything wrong." Luna rebuked.

Celestia massaged her forehead, "No doubt some leftover feelings from the Princess."

"I think you just need to have an honest conversation with her." Luna suggested.

Celestia nodded and gave her sister an understanding look as she heard footsteps coming down the steps, soon followed by Sunset walking back into the kitchen then stood awkwardly.

Luna glanced behind her at the awkward teen then turned back to her sister and gave Celestia a ' _see?'_ look. Celestia nodded again and walked towards Sunset.

"OK, let's be off." She said as Sunset followed her to the door, giving a small wave to Luna.

While in the car, Sunset fiddled nervously with the zipper on her new winter jacket. Celestia noticed Sunset's nervousness and bit her lip.

 _I hope this goes well._ Celestia thought to herself, _Let's shop for a bit and if she still seems nervous, take a break and talk to her._

Arriving at the mall, Celestia and Sunset walked in the giant sliding doors. To this day, Sunset was still shocked every time she went to the mall. In Equestria, malls weren't even a thing and then upon coming to the human world, it was quite the culture shock.

"So, um…" Sunset started, looking confused and a little overwhelmed, "What do we do?"

Celestia smiled, "We wander through clothing stores until you find something you like."

Sunset nodded as Celestia lead her to the first store. They didn't get very far past the entrance before immediately realizing that pink isn't really Sunset's style.

They continued on and found a store more towards Sunset's tastes. They wandered through and Celestia had to pay attention to Sunset because she kept disregarding things that peaked her interest and encourage her to try things.

It took about an hour but Celestia finally got Sunset actually trying things on and even walked out of a couple of stores with new purchases. However, as it got closer to dinner time, Sunset stopped suddenly when her stomach growled.

"Um," Sunset nervously rubbed at her neck, "Would it be alright if we got something to eat?"

Celestia smiled, "Of course, it's getting close to supper."

Sunset smiled as Celestia lead the way to the food court. Luckily, Celestia didn't have to get Sunset to look around to find something because Sunset knew exactly what she was in the mood for. Celestia bought Sunset her teriyaki chicken noodle bowl from a Japanese chain restaurant while Celestia grabbed a personal pizza.

They found a booth sequestered in a small corner by a fireplace. Celestia found their seclusion a decent place to talk to Sunset.

"How are you doing, Sunset?" Celestia asked.

"Good, ribs don't hurt as much anymore." She replied.

Celestia shook her head, "I meant about this shopping trip."

Sunset put down her chopsticks, "It's fun once I got over the weirdness of it. I'm not used to other people paying for things, much less with you."

"That's actually something I've been meaning to talk to you about." Celestia said, getting Sunset's attention. "Sunset, I understand that you had to depend solely on yourself for a long time now. You were forced into growing up and acting like an adult from a very young age and I don't think you realize that you missed a lot of your childhood because of it."

Sunset looked down at her half empty bowl, "I know. It's just… I don't know. I've pushed myself my entire life and I guess, in my blind ambition, I shoved my childhood to the side. Even after I had started to abandon my original goal, I still had to push it aside in order to actually survive and hold a job."

Celestia frowned but nodded, "I know what you're saying but, you need to stop trying to be older than you actually are." This got Sunset's attention.

The young girl snapped her head up, skeptical eyebrow.

"I know you have been on your own for a long time and have taken on a lot of adult responsibilities at a young age but that doesn't change the fact that you are still a child. You shouldn't have to be braving the world on your own." Celestia said.

Sunset crossed her arms defensively, "I'm not a child."

"You're a minor, so in the eyes of the law, yes, you are still a child." Celestia said sternly, leaving no room for Sunset to argue. "And as a child, you require an adult to look after you until you become one yourself. Now that you are living with Luna and I, I want you to stop acting like you're inconveniencing us. If you were, I would have never taken you in. You're not alone anymore, Sunset."

Sunset looked up at Celestia then averted her eyes and fidgeted in her seat. That was something the Princess had never told her before she abandoned her studies. Despite the nice memories she had of the Princess, they were few in number and far between. The most she could remember was Celestia constantly pushing her to try her best but never actually made her feel like she belonged someplace.

"I'm sorry, it's just, a lot of the ponies in my life never really made me feel like I _wasn't_ alone." Sunset went on, "The older I got, the more estranged I became. Even as a filly I never learned any actual social skill so, I often came off as rude or uncaring. I had to teach myself those skills on my own. Even now, I can read people but I have trouble reading myself and the situation. Usually, the logic I learned from psychology books were inaccurate. Emotions tend to be more complex than I ca-" Sunset paused, "Sorry, I'm rambling."

"It's alright, Sunset." Celestia smiled, "I've just come to realize this morning that you do not really understand your new situation with Luna and I."

"What do you mean?" Sunset questioned, "As I understood it, you took me in because I am an underaged orphan and you wanted to be sure that I was safe."

"Yes, but not exactly." Celestia said, "Being your caretaker was a quick stitch effort so the hospital wouldn't try to find your parents. If that happened, they would eventually figure out that you didn't have any and take you away."

Sunset stared at her, unable to find a response to the realization of what might have happened. Worst case scenario, the government would find Equestria and Sunset would be taken to a government facility.

Celestia continued, "Since the formal, there has been a great change in the way you carry yourself and, after talking to you so many times, I saw a girl with so much potential, being faced with horrible circumstances." Sunset went to protest but Celestia held a hand up as she kept talking, "It doesn't matter if your actions were the things that lead you to that position in the first place. You were a child being forced into responsibilities you were not yet ready for. You deserved a second chance."

Sunset kept looking down at her hands but Celestia could still see the tears brimming her eyes, "What exactly is it you're trying to say?"

Celestia knew Sunset had a pretty good idea of what she was getting at but didn't want to say it in case she got it wrong.

"Sunset," Celestia said, "Before the accident, I had Chrysalis begin to draw up custody papers for you. I know it might be too soon to tell you but I need you to understand exactly what has been going on."

The teen looked at Celestia, taking in this information.

"The only responsibilities you have now, Sunset, is school and just being a regular teenager, Chrysalis, Luna and myself worked hard to make sure you got the chance at life in this world that you truly deserve." Celestia finished.

Celestia gave Sunset a few minutes to let everything sink in while she excused herself to put their empty food containers in the garbage. _Did I tell her too much at once? Oh, I hope I didn't scare her away._

She went back towards the table to see Sunset now standing in front of the fireplace, watching the flames with her hair obscuring her face. Celestia cautiously laid a hand on Sunset's shoulder and positioned herself so she could just see her face. Sunset flinched at the sudden contact but didn't make a move otherwise as she continued to stare at the fire.

There were now streaks of tears down Sunset's face so Celestia bent down so she would be eye level with her.

"Sunset? Are you alright?" Celestia asked tenderly, concern evident in her voice, "I'm sorry I made that move without consulting you first. I just didn't want to see you alone like that.

Sunset wiped her tears with her sleeve, then, without warning, almost tackled Celestia with a hug, burying her face in her shoulder, "Thank you." Sunset said quietly into the older woman's shirt. She pulled away and wiped her tears again, looking Celestia in the eyes, "You have no idea how long I've waited for someone to care about me just for who I am."

Celestia gave her another hug and smiled, "I'm just glad you didn't run away."

Sunset pulled out of the hug with a raised eyebrow, "Why would I do that?"

"Well…um…you know what? Never mind."

Sunset and Celestia laughed and after drying their tears, continued on their shopping escapade. The teen was now a lot more comfortable with the whole thing though, she was still a little uneasy but Celestia never expected her to change right away but it was a step into the right direction.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey guys! Hope you are all amazing! Anyway this past 10 days I have binge watched every episode and movie for 'How to Train Your Dragon'in chronological order (Don't ask me why cause' I don't know either) and it is actually a really well done series and I trust the books were well done too. It's actually kind of sad when a series like this has to end but, every great story does. Hicstrid is actually one of the few canon ships I enjoy and was rooting for from day one.**

 **Speaking of stories coming to an end, this one has 18 chapters left! And WOW 40 is a big number and on chapter 44 I will have beat my chapter record and all together, my word count record! Thank you all for sticking with me and, I hope I can do this story justice with the ending. I'm not very good at those starting and ending a story are the hardest parts of writing a novel but the ending means a start of a new story.**

 **See you guys on Monday!**


	41. Christmas Shopping

Sunset took a seat next to Celestia in the consultation room and started to nervously drum on her phone with her fingers. She really did hate hospitals but this was a trip she hoped to leave unscathed. It's been exactly six weeks since the accident and, the day before, Celestia thought it was time to check in with the hospital when she watched the younger girl trip over the couch and wacked her casted hand off the coffee table without so much as a complaint.

"Calm down, Sunset." Celestia comforted, "You're OK."

She smiled up at Celestia, "I know but I just want to carry things properly and get hit in the stomach with dodgeballs!"

Celestia laughed as Sunset was practically bouncing in her seat, "I don't think I have ever heard that one before."

Sunset laughed as a doctor came around the corner and smiled at her, "Doctor Red Wing, Long time no see."

He chuckled, "You seem lively miss Shimmer. When I saw a doctor looking over your x-rays, I had to see how you were doing. You were quite the talk for a while after you left."

Sunset shrugged, "I try."

Both him and Celestia chuckled, "Well, I have to go. I'm not actually supposed to be in this section."

Sunset chuckled and waved as he went back to work. Not long after, Doctor Horse came back with her X-Rays and smiled. He set them up on the display and went through his routine explanation and comparison. In all honesty, Sunset didn't listen to a word, just mentally compared the six sheets of plastic; two for her ribs and one for her wrist and hand.

They were drastically different. You could definitely see the break in her bones, and, what she didn't know, her wrist was broken in three different places. Now though, the new X-rays showed absolutely no abnormalities.

Sunset tuned back in just as the Doctor said, "Let's go get that cast off."

It was an interesting process involving a weird looking saw, weird looking tongs and medical scissors. Celestia had to calm Sunset down when he brought out the saw but he explained that it simply vibrated and it wouldn't actually cut her so, Sunset reluctantly held her arm still. Celestia couldn't help but quietly chuckle at Sunset's curiosity and took pictures.

Once the cast was off, Sunset was out of that chair faster than Rainbow Dash on game day. She only stayed long enough to say 'thank you' to the Doctor and navigate her way out of the building, Celestia not too far behind.

In the car Sunset slammed her left fist into her rib cage then…laughed?

"Don't hurt yourself please." Celestia begged.

"Sorry." Sunset said sheepishly, "Just making sure."

Celestia rolled her eyes and smiled as she drove home.

"Why are we going home?" Sunset asked, "Aren't we going back to the school for the afternoon?"

Celestia pursed her lips, "I thought we could get some Christmas shopping done so Luna can't spy on us."

"Christmas shopping?" Sunset questioned.

"Yes, it's two weeks from now." Celestia told her.

Sunset smacked her cheeks, "Pony feathers, I completely forgot!"

"It's fine Sunset, you've been through a lot in the last few months." Celestia said in an attempt to console the girl.

"I know but the girls and I drew for our secret Santa's last week and I still have no idea what to get mine." Sunset pouted.

"Who did you get?" She asked, "Maybe I can help."

"Pinkie Pie." Stated Sunset, "She's super hyper, loves sweets and throwing parties and is one of the best baker's I know. She also has this pet stuffed alligator named gummy."

"What about her family?" Celestia questioned.

"The exact opposite of her." Sunset sighed, "She is really close to her sister, Maud, though. She's a big geology nut."

"That doesn't seem helpful." Celestia mused.

"Told you." Sunset said, "Wait, would I be cheap if I just drew her something?"

Celestia shook her head, "Not at all. It's probably one of the most personal things you could give someone."

Sunset Smiled, "Ok, thanks, Celestia."

They got to the mall and wandered store to store. It was the one-time Celestia was letting Sunset spend her own money on things that she picked out and, she made a mental note of stuff she could get for Celestia. Since Sunset was so new to the household, she could really only help Celestia shop for Luna and somewhat Chrysalis though, Celestia wasn't even sure what to get the dark woman.

"So, about Christmas." Sunset said, "What do you and Luna usually do?"

Celestia thought for a moment, "Well, I must warn you about the sweaters and the fact that Luna will drag you, me and Chrys to take a picture with Santa."

"Isn't that just for kids?" Sunset questioned.

"At this point, I'm pretty sure she is one." Celestia smiled, "We bake cookies, and spend a couple days at my parents'. We usually get home in the evening of Christmas day."

"Does Chrysalis always spend the holidays with you guys?" Sunset asked.

"Ever since we were teenagers." Celestia nodded, "Her parents were good people but were hardly ever around, even around the holidays. So, since we met, she's been spending holidays with us. She does it with her own parents in March when she goes to see them."

"So, Chrysalis is just extended family." Sunset reasoned.

"Essentially, yes." Celestia said, "She's like another annoying little sister to me."

Sunset giggled, "I've noticed."

They wandered around for a few more minutes before Sunset stopped, "Y-your parents?"

Celestia turned to face Sunset, "Of course, we go every year. It only makes sense to include you now."

"But, d-do they even know that I'm living with you guys?" Celestia was about to speak but Sunset continued to ramble, "Well, _of course_ she knows, Luna said you did last week. What if they don't like me? I mean, I don't blame them but still, I haven't actually celebrated anything for six years! What if I mess something up and they hate me for it? That would reflect badly on you. I mean, you're basically my mom!" Sunset flinched as she finished.

A slip of the tongue and Sunset froze. _Did I really just say that? I think I just called her my mom. No, I said **basically** my mom. Totally different. Who am I kidding" No it isn't. I hope she didn't notice._ She looked a Celestia's quizzical brow, _Maybe? Was I talking too fast so she didn't latch on to it?_

"Sunset, you'll be fine. Don't worry so much." Celestia smiled.

It did little to sate her trepidation but she smiled anyway, continuing her shopping excursion.

 _I'm just a stranger to them._ Sunset thought, _I've only been living with them for three weeks._ She sighed.

Sunset knew that Celestia was happy to share their Christmas with her. She knew Celestia, Luna, and even Chrysalis, cared about movies. It all actually made Sunset feel like she truly belonged somewhere. She didn't feel like she was disappointing anyone and, over the past few weeks, Sunset had gotten attached to the two women. Something she hasn't been able to do in a very long time.

After another couple hour, Sunset and Celestia brought their packages to the wrapping kiosk then went to grab something to eat from the food court. Sunset got a salad while Celestia decided to indulge herself in a bacon cheese burger.

Sunset smiled, especially since she found a gift for Luna that she is almost positive that the Vice-Principal will like. She also thought to her previous comment. _Almost like my mom._ Celestia had taken her in, given her a home and even wanted to include her in her family Christmas celebration. Now that she thought about it, her earlier comment didn't seem so far off.

"Alright." Celestia said as she stood, "Let's get the presents and get going."

Sunset nodded and followed Celestia back to the kiosk where they had already finished wrapping their parcels. The lady at the counter smiled and wished them a happy holiday before they made their way out to the parking lot and drove home.

Luna, was back from working when Sunset and Celestia returned, she immediately jumped off the couch to snoop at the boxes.

However, Celestia wasn't having it, "Oh, no you don't. Back to the couch."

"Why?" Luna asked in mock innocence.

Sunset struggled to suppress her laughter but got an idea to help Celestia out; "You know, if you peek, it would ruin the surprise and we'll have to take it all back." All the while, she managed to keep a straight face.

"You wouldn't dare." Luna stated.

"Try me."

Luna and Sunset stared each other down. Luna was searching for any tell that Sunset was kidding but found none.

After a brief look of fear; Luna raised her hands in surrender, "I'll be in the kitchen." She said as she walked away.

Sunset snickered when Luna was out of earshot.

Celestia started waking up the stairs, trying to suppress her own laugh, "I don't think I've seen her worried like that before."

"It was the only thing I could think of to stop her from snooping." She said.

"Well, I do appreciate it. Luna has always been the one to try to get a peek at her Christmas presents." Celestia explained as they set the packages in the corner of Celestia's room. "She wouldn't dare come in here though."

"Why's that?" Sunset asked.

"Then I go in her room and take her computer." Celestia said simply.

"Have you done it before?"

Celestia laughed, "Yes, it was two weeks before Christmas and I caught her sneaking a peek in my room. So, I went into hers and took her computer."

"When did you give it back?" she asked.

"Christmas morning." Celestia told her, an amused smile on her face, "I wrapped it up and put it under the tree. Mom and Dad didn't even try to get it back from me. They were just as tired of her snooping."

Sunset laughed, "I guess that's one way to solve a problem."

They smiled and went off to do their own thing. Celestia and Luna took to the study to do their paper work while Sunset got to work on her drawing for Pinkie Pie.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Well, I'm in the final stretch with editing Scars. I just sent my editor, BChunter426 on Wattpad and FiM fiction the final chapter to read through. I'm really excited to show you guys the ending to this family/redemption story!**

 **As always, see you on Thursday.**


	42. Comfort

In the study, Celestia found she was having trouble getting anything done. Her mind kept wandering to Sunset's small outburst in the mall. She had originally brushed it off because it was clear that even Sunset didn't really want to discuss her comment in such a public place. Originally, it had caught her off guard because she never considered how Sunset would feel meeting Celestia and Luna's family. To Sunset, they were strangers.

 _Should I talk to Mom and Dad and make a day trip?_ Celestia questioned, _No, that wouldn't be fair to them. Besides, they've been supportive with me taking in Sunset. I don't want to stress her out though, Christmas is supposed to be fun and it's about bonding with your family._ It was then that Celestia realized what the real issue was.

Though Sunset knew that Celestia and Luna both cared about her and she was a part of the house hold, it didn't necessarily mean that she was a part of their _family._ Then, something Sunset had said earlier surfaced in her thoughts:

 _'You're basically my mom!'_ She had said.

 _Her mom?_ Celestia thought.

It only took a few seconds for Celestia to realized how accurate that statement was. Since finding out how Sunset was living, she'd been nothing but caring towards the girl. It started with Just being an emergency contact and counseling. Then, giving the girl her personal number in case she needed help. It didn't take long for it to escalate to figuring out a way to get Sunset under her care. Just a couple weeks ago; Celestia was lecturing Sunset about being a teenager.

Celestia leaned back in her chair, eyes cast down in dumb found thought.

"What is the matter, Sister?" Luna asked.

Celestia looked up to her sister, "It's something Sunset said today."

Luna raised a brow.

"Luna," Celestia started, "What kind of relationship do you see with me regarding Sunset?"

Luna snorted then it only escalated into a full-blown laugh, "Do-do you e-even have to ask?" She said between giggles.

"It was a serious question, Luna." Celestia deadpanned.

"I know, I know." She said as she calmed down, "Look, I believe you already know the answer. What did Sunset say?"

"That I am 'basically her Mom.'" Celestia said. When she saw her sister's jaw drop, she rolled her eyes, "She was ranting because she was nervous about meeting Mom and Dad. I'm not even sure she realized she said it."

"But still..." Luna said in thought, "She has a point. Chrys and I said it after she met Sunset in the hospital, we can see it in your eyes. Same goes for Sunset. That girl trusts you and judging by that day you two went clothes shopping, she cares deeply about your opinion of her."

Celestia bit the inside of her cheek, "I know and in the short time that I've known her, I can't bear the thought of anything happening to her. It's almost like…"

"She's your own?" Luna offered.

Celestia nodded.

"You should discuss this with her." Luna stated.

"I will." Celestia said, getting out of her chair. "Eventually. First, I want to make sure she doesn't have a panic attack on Christmas Eve."

Luna chuckled, "Good idea."

Celestia smiled and left the study.

Luna shook her head once Celestia was gone, "Took you long enough."

Sunset lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling while music played from her phone. She was just listening, trying to clear her head but nothing was working. Growling, she sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. She was still incredibly nervous about going to Celestia and Luna's parents and the whole, 'you're basically my mom' comment wasn't helping her nerves.

There was a knock on her door and when she told them to enter, Celestia poked her head in.

"You OK, Sunset?" Celestia asked.

Sunset averted her gaze which was all the answer she needed.

Celestia shut the door went to the other side of the bed and sat down next to Sunset. The teen shut the music off, leaving them in utter silence.

"Are you still worried about going to my parent's?" Celestia asked despite already knowing the answer.

Sunset nodded and sighed, "I know they're your family but they're just strangers to me. What if I make a bad impression?"

"I doubt you could make a worse first impression than Chrysalis." Celestia said.

Sunset looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"When Luna first brought Chrysalis over, it was a complete disaster. For one, my father didn't like that they pulled up on a motorcycle. Then, she broke several plates, and knocked over my mother's stack of papers." Celestia listed off, "I also can't forget the language she used." She paused, "And her sense of humor certainly didn't help."

Sunset chuckled, "Yeah that's pretty bad." She thought for a moment, "But you said your parent's love Chrys."

"They do." Celestia smiled, "None of us were exactly model citizens as teenagers so, it's not like she had much to live up to. The part that my parents really fell in love with was the effect she had on Luna. She was always two years ahead of kids her own age so we were in the same grade in high school."

"Really? Luna was that smart?" Sunset questioned.

Celestia nodded, "She's been working on computers since she was four." She gave Sunset a couple of seconds to let it sink in before continuing, "Since she was always more intelligent than the other kids her age, she tended to isolate herself and never had any friends. Then, I believe it was our second week when Chrys approached her at lunch. After that, Luna couldn't quite shake her and eventually, Luna started to come out of her shell and out of the house."

"It's actually really nice that she found someone that could do that for her." Sunset commented.

"Yes, and since then, Chrysalis has been a part of the family." Celestia said, "Besides, Chrys had always been the more level headed of our friends and she learned how to act around our parents after a while."

Celestia looked over to Sunset to see her in deep thought.

"You know," Celestia said after a while, "You have people like that too."

Sunset looked at Celestia.

"You avoided those five girls for two weeks before you finally gave in." Celestia reminded her, "All it takes is for someone to give you a chance."

Sunset smiled, "Honestly, I think you have given me the best chance anyone could have give me."

Celestia gave her a warm smile and lay a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, "I know meeting my family is nerve-wracking but I know they are going to adore you. You're a smart, kind girl with better table manners than Chrysalis and Luna."

Sunset laughed.

"And," Celestia continued, "Whether you realize it or not; you're a part of this family now too."

That last part made Sunset tense, _A part of…their family? Do they really think of me like that?_

"It's only been a few weeks." Sunset said as she pulled her legs up to her chest.

"There is something that I've learned over the years." Celestia said, "People always say that you can't choose your family, but in reality, you can."

Sunset looked at Celestia with a confused expression.

"Family isn't about blood relations or marriage. It's about how much you care about each other." Celestia said, "My family has never been very large. We do not get along with the rest of my relatives and never considered them a part of our family. So, for my entire life, it was just my parents, sister and myself. Then it grew to include Chrysalis and…" she frowned, "Star Swirl when he was alive. Now, that includes you as well."

"I like how you put that." Sunset said, "It makes sense to me. At least, this way, if your family chooses you and you chose it, you know you're actually accepted." Sunset snickered at a thought she had, "You parents and/or siblings are just a baseline."

Celestia laughed, "I suppose that's one way of putting it."

Sunset smiled and contemplated her next move for a moment before uncurling herself and hugged Celestia. No words were spoken as Celestia instinctively started petting Sunset's hair, something her mother did and still does when she needed comfort.

When they pulled a part, Celestia looked at the clock, "Oh, I didn't realize it was so late. You should probably go to sleep."

Sunset looked at the clock and nodded, getting out of bed and grabbing a pair of pajamas from her drawer.

Celestia headed out the door to let Sunset get changed in privacy. She sat on the couch to read for a bit and, after an hour, went upstairs to see Sunset 's lights off. She peeked her head in and saw that Sunset was already fast asleep on her stomach.

The older woman smiled at how comfortable and safe she looked. That building collapsing was almost a blessing in disguise. She walked in the room and pulled the covers up to Sunset's neck and then on a whim, kissed the top of the young girl's head just as she had done in the hospital a little over a month ago.

"Goodnight, Sunset." Celestia whispered before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **I have 2 things to say! #1 is that I am going to be missing either one or both post days next week because I am going to get all my editing for Scars done. There are a few parts in the upcoming chapters I need to change so, I'm really sorry. I hate missing days.**

 **The second thing is a little more personal. [u]It does contain a bit of a spoiler[/u] so don't keep reading if you don't like them but I think you all know this going to happen anyway. This is just about my true inspiration for Scars and I want to share it with you.**

 **I grew up in an amazing house with my even more amazing family. I was lucky that I was born into an amazing family. Some people aren't that lucky. Currently, I'm 19 but, when I was 17, I realized that I didn't want to [i]have[/i] kid. Like make my own. It's not how I EVER saw myself, except, I do want kids. When I have my life in order, I want to adopt the older kids between the ages of 12-18 that no one want's. A lot of kids that haven't been adopted by the age of 12, usually end up aging out of the system. To me, that's not OK. This was my inspiration, a teen who just needed a place to call home and get guidance that no one else would give them. I know I'm still a teenager myself but, no matter how hard I try, I'm not going to be one forever. It's just a part of my life that I just see myself doing. I don't even care if I end up being a single parent. I just want to give them a chance.**

 **I just felt like we are far enough into Scars of Our Past for me to just tell you guys why I am writing it the way I am and I do my research to be as accurate as possible. Besides, I figured it would be nice for you all to get to know me a little better.**

 **Anyway, see you all...in a couple weeks!**


	43. Acceptance

Sunset pulled herself out of bed, looking at the clock to see that she only slept in a few more hours than she would have for school. With no plans for the day however, she slipped on a pair of track pants and a heavy black slip-on hoodie then headed down stairs.

Unlike most morning's she heard Luna's voice from the kitchen and for once, sounded wide awake.

Celestia began to walk out of the living room when she spotted Sunset, "Good morning, Sunset. How did you sleep?"

"Good, thanks." She looked over to the kitchen where Luna was still talking with someone. "Who is she walking to?"

Celestia giggled, "Chrysalis got here an hour ago. It didn't take long to get Luna out of bed after that."

Sunset laughed. Thought she's only seen Chrysalis once, Sunset thought she was cool. Besides, Chrys seemed to come up in almost every conversation she'd had with the youngest sister. Sunset felt that Chrysalis was going to be an…interesting person the more she got to know her.

Celestia lead the way into the kitchen where Luna was talking very animatedly to Chrys about a video game that she's been wanting. The darker woman chuckled at her friend's antics and just continued to listen until, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sunset and Celestia enter the room.

Chrys turned to look at Sunset and smiled, "Hey, it's nice to see you again."

Sunset gave a shy smile as she leaned on the counter next to Celestia, "Yeah, nice to see you too."

Chrys understood Sunset's shyness considering the first and only time they saw each other, Sunset was in the hospital and had just discovered Chrysalis was her social worker.

"Relax, kid." Chrysalis smiled, "I'm off duty until after the holidays. It's good to see you without the cast."

Sunset grinned, "I'm glad to have it off. It's good to lift stuff normally."

"That's great to hear." the woman told her, "I'm looking forward to getting to know you more."

The younger girl gave a kind but nervous smile as she glanced at Celestia who was focused on making tea.

Chrys observed Sunset's stance and smiled a bit. The flame haired girl stuck close to the kettle and her eyes subtly followed Celestia around the kitchen when she left it, to make sure she was still close by.

 _It seems someone's gotten rather attached._ Chrysalis mused, shooting a look at Luna who understood and smiled, indicating that she too had noticed.

Celestia finished brewing the tea and offered Chrysalis some who politely declined. She handed Sunset a cup who smiled and gave a quick 'thanks' before resting against the counter again. In complete, unplanned synchronization, Sunset and Celestia both took a long sip from their mugs and exhaled deeply with the same pleased smile on their faces. The only thing difference between them at that moment, other than physical appearance, was that Celestia had better posture. It was almost like Sunset was Celestia's biological child.

After watching the two, again, move in sync, Chrysalis snorted and begin to giggle. Luna, who had been valiantly keeping her composure, started to laugh as well.

Celestia and Sunset gave each other confused looks and, when the laughter didn't stop, Celestia whispered something in Sunset's ear. The younger girl nodded and discreetly slipped out of the kitchen with Celestia and headed to the study and away from the apparent lunatics.

Once they were gone, Chrysalis heard the door to the study close and finally spoke between laughs, "Did you see that? She's like a little Celestia!"

Luna struggled to calm herself, "I know. She is also quite the intelligent girl. Incredibly artistic as well."

"I also remember that she's quite the rebellious one." Replied Chrysalis.

"At least _now_ she's being rebellious legally." Luna said.

Chrysalis nodded then went into deep thought.

This didn't go unnoticed by Luna who gave her friend a concerned expression, "Everything alright?"

Chrysalis sighed, "Yes, it's just, her hair reminds me of something."

Luna gave her a confused look, "Of what? A campfire? Phoenix?" she thought hard for a moment and snapped her fingers in realization, "I know! Bacon!"

Chrys couldn't contain her laughter, "Ironic considering she's a vegetarian."

"She eats chicken!" Luna protested.

"But even turkey bacon doesn't look like bacon."

Luna hummed, "I suppose I see your point."

In the study, Sunset and Celestia sat at the two chairs by the window reading with only a coffee table between them.

Though she was trying her best, Sunset couldn't concentrate on her book for very long. Though their conversation from the previous night had helped ease Sunset's mind, something still ate at her.

 _She said I was a part of her family._ Sunset thought, _I've never really felt like I was part of one before. What if I mess it up?_ Sunset looked to Celestia, _What if I disappoint her like I did the princess? I can't see anyone wanting to be my family after that._ The memory alone of how she left Princess Celestia's tutelage made her skin crawl.

"Celestia." Sunset spoke without thinking.

Her voice was small and almost pleading. Celestia looked into Sunset's eyes which were now downcast at her feet.

"What is it?" Celestia asked.

"Last night, I didn't really give you a response." Sunset said.

"I know." Celestia said, "I saw that you were a little overwhelmed so I didn't want to push you. Besides, I did not require a response."

"I know but…" Sunset put her book at the table, "My childhood fears are getting the best of me. All that's happened to me, _for me_ in the last few months, it's almost too good to be true. For me, having a family that actually accepts me, it's hard for me to believe and accept. I'm always afraid that as soon as I mess up, you, Luna, my friends, you all will just kick me to the curb." A tear escaped Sunset's eye, "I'll be alone again and…I don't want to be alone. I didn't like it the first time and that was because I felt alone most of my life. Now, I'm _not_ alone, I feel cared for and I couldn't live with myself if I messed that up."

By this point, Sunset was hugging her knees close to her chest and Celestia was shocked that she had come out with this on her own. Usually, to get her to talk about something, she had to be prompted to do so. Celestia believed that, what she was seeing, is Sunset's complete, raw, trust.

Celestia moved out of her chair to crouch in front of Sunset, "Sunset, we've been through this before. None of us are going to leave you alone."

She wasn't sure what had triggered it but Sunset looked up at Celestia in anger but it was not directed at her, "My parents did! So, did my adoptive ones! After a few months at the castle, we almost completely stopped talking other than a stupid birthday card every year, not even on Heartwarming. The Princess and I barely spent any time together outside of classes and after I turned into a little terror, she left me alone too!"

This situation was a first for Celestia and she was unsure of how to respond. Sunset had only talked about her Adoptive parents once before and other than that, didn't bring them up at all. Now, though, her birth parents and the Princess were brought into the mix.

Sunset took a deep breath to calm herself but fresh tears poured from her eyes. The only thing Celestia could do was wrap her arms around the young girl and hold her.

"Sunset," Celestia said to the quivering girl, "I know it may not mean much but I have no intention of leaving you alone _ever_ again."

Sunset locked her arms around Celestia and refused to let go, "I-I'm, so happy here, I just don't want to lose you guys. No one has ever cared about me like you guys do. I don't feel alone anymore."

"It's because you're not, Sunset." Celestia said, "I just want you to be happy. I will never leave you Sunset."

The teen squeezed harder but didn't speak.

"I'm glad you've accepted that people care about you." Celestia said after Sunset's crying had stopped.

Sunset turned her head so her voice wasn't muffled, "It took a while and I still don't think I deserve any of it but, I've come to accept that you care about me whether I like it or not and… I _do_ like it."

It wasn't lost on Celestia that Sunset had only specified her in her comment. However, she didn't want to press as she acknowledged that _knew_ she cared for her and for now, it was perfect. Besides, just holding Sunset, comforting her as her mother used to, it just felt right to Celestia. Little did she know, Sunset felt the same way.

* * *

 **AAAANNNNDDDD, we're back. Happy Canada day! Don't worry though, we sill get a regular chapter tomorrow and for those of you from the States, I will post on the fourth of July as well.**

 **Hope you all had a fantastic week, I know mine was...meh. Lot's of stuff went on but, I figured out how to end this monstrosity properly. To do that I had to add an extra chapter but I doubt you will complain. BChunter426 has my revised final 2 chapters and, after her finishes with them, I will be 100% done writing Scars.**

 **Also, as a note to you all, I don't think you really know how awesome you guys are! You're supportive, invested and not afraid to share your opinions on certain parts and concepts. It's REALLY awesome so I'd just like to say thank you.**

 **Now, It killed me to not post a chapter on even ONE day last week. I just love seeing the reactions you guys have and just posting the chapter is the highlight of my day. And, no, it's not sad that THAT is the highlight. I am a writer through and through and fully intend to dedicate the rest of my life to telling stories, no matter how short that life may be (I'm really clumsy, almost got hit buy a bus twice (I'm also very lucky) and broke my heel in half when I tripped over and EMPTY milk crate)**

 **Anyway, on with the show! or...err...story.**


	44. Luna

Sunset was genuinely happy during the week. The novelty of bullying her had almost entirely died down other than the hateful glares.

On Thursday after school, she walked into the music room as she had been during the entirety of the week, watching the Rainbooms' practice. Sunset loved the songs that Rainbow wrote and found it a lot less daunting that they grew ears and tails. In fact, it now made Sunset feel safer around them knowing they could keep her in line.

Just as they finished 'Shake Your Tail' there was a knock at the door and Vice-Principal Luna strode in, "You are sounding great girl's. I've just come to retrieve Sunset."

"I thought Principal Celestia was taking me home?" Sunset questioned.

Luna smiled, "I thought we could do some last-minute Christmas shopping before we leave on Monday."

"Just you and me?"

Luna nodded.

Sunset smiled, though she felt a bit uneasy as Luna had never asked to have time with her before. She gathered her things and said goodbye to her friends, wishing them a happy holiday then followed Luna out of the room and through the school.

Luna noticed Sunset was frowning slightly so, she gave her a small side hug and a reassuring smile, "I know how you feel but you will see them on New Year's."

Sunset sighed, "Yeah but that's almost two weeks from now. I haven't really gone so long without seeing them since the earthquake."

"At least you have Tia, Chrys and I so you will not be alone." Luna said.

Sunset saw a mischievous glint in her eye, "Something tells me you have a plan to keep me busy."

Luna chuckled, "You are learning to read me. I can't say I'm surprised, but it is impressive."

Sunset shrugged, "It helps that you don't try to hide it after school's done and while we're at home."

"I suppose I am just getting used to your presence." Luna said as they got into her black car.

"I'm glad." Sunset said then turned to Luna with a playful smile, "You know, it's hard to be afraid of you now that I know I'm more mature."

Luna took a double take at Sunset, surprised she felt comfortable enough to take a jab at her.

"Says the girl who's been drawing pastel ponies nonstop."

"I'm not 32 and playing computer games all night." Sunset poked.

"So, at least I didn't stupidly let a building fall on me."

Sunset found an opportunity to trip her up. "Says the one crushing on their best friend."

"You-" Luna stopped and looked at Sunset with a horrified expression.

Sunset no longer held her grin but did present a knowing smile.

"You little goblin." Luna said, "You're like a mini version of my sister!"

Sunset wasn't sure how to take that comment so she brushed it off, "Come on, Luna. I'm not stupid and you don't exactly hide it well. I could see it the first time I met her!"

Luna smiled, "Well, since you're _not_ my sister, I'm not going to deny it."

"Don't worry, I won't say anything." Sunset assured her, "I just wanted to know and I didn't think I could ask you directly about it."

"You are very observant, Miss Shimmer." Luna said, "But I do not wish to discuss this matter further."

"I never expected you to."

They pulled into the mall parking lot and got out of the car. It was surprising to Sunset that the air around them wasn't awkward in the least. In fact, it was much clearer than before. Luna didn't seem mad about Sunset's realization. In fact, she seemed relieved.

"So, do you have any ideas on what to get my sister yet?" Luna asked.

"A couple." Sunset stated. She told Luna about the next book in the series she'd seen Celestia reading and a box of Celestia's favorite teas which she went to list off.

Luna looked surprised, "You are pretty observant. How did you know what her favorite tea's was?"

"Partly from paying attention, because she likes to mix up what she has every now and then," Sunset rubbed her neck, "And partly form memory when I knew Princess Celestia. They act different but their tastes are pretty much the same minus the meat."

Luna nodded, "Those are both brilliant ideas."

Sunset snickered, "Oh, don't worry, I pay attention to you too."

Luna's eyes went wide then, grinned like a child, "What did you get me?"

"Why would I tell _you_?" Sunset smirked.

"Because…" Luna thought, "I'll buy you food?"

Sunset just about lost it laughing and soon Luna joined her.

"Come on, just a hint." Luna practically begged.

Sunset smiled, "Fine, the acronym is I.A.S."

Sunset knew Luna was smart, as explained to her by Celestia but she doubted the older woman would catch on before the day was over.

While Luna thought on it, they leisurely went from store to store making various purchases before finally bringing them to the wrapping kiosk and grabbing something to eat.

As the two ate, they engaged in pleasant conversation and got to know one another. Sunset even broke down some of the more interesting parts of Equestrian history and folklore, which Luna compared the majority of it to comic books or movies right down to calling Star Swirl the bearded; 'pony Dumbledore'. Sunset didn't even know who that was.

When they were finished eating, they went and got her parcels and headed back out to Luna's car.

Sunset found that she could talk to Luna a lot like she could talk to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Luna was proud but incredibly nice, caring and fun to be around. Neither was afraid to make small jabs at each other or shoot playful, empty threats.

Luna, by the time they pulled into the driveway, was thinking about Sunset's acronym again.

"Don't hurt yourself." Sunset mocked with a playful smile.

Just as Sunset got out of the car Luna shot up and glared at her over the roof of the car, "It's-A-Secret?"

Sunset smiled innocently as Luna's glare then bolted for the house, only to crash into Chrysalis who gave her a confused look.

"Luna. Scary. Celestia?" Sunset managed as Luna started to run after her.

"Study." Chrysalis said and moved out of the way, for both of them.

Sunset ran through the house with Luna hot on her heels and despite her fear, she found Luna entertaining.

She finally made it to the study and bust through the doors then held them shut while scanning the room for Celestia. The woman was seated in an armchair across the room looking at her with concern and confusion.

Without another word Sunset dashed over to Celestia and cowered behind her as Luna burst into the room.

Celestia looked at Sunset cowering behind her chair and couldn't help but smile at the childlike grin on the younger girl's face. It was actually nice to see her acting her own age.

"What on earth is going on?" Celestia asked.

"I outsmarted her and she doesn't like it." Sunset said simply.

"I fed you!" Luna protested.

"You would have anyway." Sunset said. Though she didn't move from her position behind Celestia, Sunset still grinned, obviously enjoying the exchange.

"I will take your present back!" Luna threatened.

Sunset shrugged, "I haven't gotten one in six years. I'll live." Sunset gave her a look so she knew she was playing, "But can you?"

Luna was rendered tongue tied. Clearly outwitted by the teenager.

Chrysalis came behind Luna and grabbed her collar, pulling her out of the room. "Let's go unload your car."

The black skinned woman shot Sunset thumbs up before closing the door.

Sunset stood and started to laugh hysterically, soon joined by Celestia.

After they both had calmed down, Sunset told Celestia about her day and eventually, they both retired to the living room with Luna and Chrysalis.

Later that night, Sunset was introduced to her first horror movie. It was about a serial killer who was executed and turned into a mutant snow man. Sunset was terrified. She spent a good majority of the movie clinging to Celestia for dear life. In the end though, she wound up enjoying herself but had no intention of watching another.

"Can you never make me watch a movie like that again?" Sunset requested, cowering in the blanket she had.

"Why? It's a classic." Luna stated.

"Yeah, and I get that it's fake for this world but it could seriously happen with Equestrian magic." Sunset told them.

The other three blinked a few times before Luna looked to Chrysalis, "Burn it."

She sounded so serious that they couldn't help but laugh.

"Seriously, doesn't this world have magic now?" Luna said fearfully, now hugging a pillow

Sunset and Celestia exchanged horrified look then turned to Chrysalis, "Burn it!" they said in Sync.

* * *

 **You comment, I listen! Most of you comment at how you love Luna in this story and, I have to agree. I really enjoy writing Luna, especially her interactions with Sunset. So, because of all of those comments, I give you, a Sunset and Luna chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**


	45. Sweaters and Photos

At some point in the evening, they all ended up in Sunset's room. Sunset had gotten a nightmare, mostly from the movie, so Celestia comforted her and Luna actually became nervous in her pitch-black room so, she decided to join them. Chrysalis heard a lot of movement upstairs and when she saw why, she felt left out. By some miracle, the four of them fit on Sunset's queen-sized bed.

Chrysalis was on one side of the bed, her back to Celestia who was in the middle, holding Sunset who was cuddled into her like a small child. Luna was on the other side of Sunset, arm draped over both the teen and her sister, holding Chrys's hand.

Sunset was the first to stir. She felt a particular warmth around her that made her smile. She opened her eyes to see a person blocking her view. She looked up to see Celestia sleeping soundly, holding her in a comforting embrace. A tear fell from Sunset's eye. She couldn't help but compare the soft touch to the one her foster mother gave her when she was a filly.

Sunset closed her eyes again and cuddled closer to Celestia, falling back asleep

Once everyone was finally awake and fed, Luna went to her room then came back, wearing a black knitted sweater with dark blue snowflakes scattered over it. In her hands she carried two more sweaters and a wrapped package. Celestia and Chrysalis groaned.

Sunset eyed the package skeptically, "What is it?"

"Remember when I told you about that picture with Santa?" Celestia said.

"I thought you were joking." stated Sunset.

"She was not." Luna nodded adamantly, "It has been a tradition since we were kids and I haven't let them miss a year yet!"

Chrysalis rolled her eyes as Luna handed her a dark green sweater with little red reindeer lining the hem. Celestia's was grey with a solid white on the collar, hem and wrists that bled off into snowflakes. She simply slipped it over her top and continued to drink her tea.

Luna threw Sunset the wrapped package, "And this is for you."

Sunset caught it and eyed the festive paper, then looked at Luna who had an expectant smile on her face as she flicked her eyes between Sunset and the package. The teen smiled and ripped open the paper.

Inside, as expected was also a sweater but this one was _definitely_ more her style. The base color was strawberry red but it had orange geometric patterns at the top, starting from the collar all the way to just below the breast line. Sunset then noticed a small design on the left hip; her cutie mark.

She couldn't help but smile warmly while raising a skeptical brow at Luna but the sweater on over her head. Sunset immediately found it warm and comfortable, kind of like a warm hug. It was a near perfect fit as the sleeves were a little long but, by the way Luna smiled with satisfaction, she had meant it to be bigger so Sunset could grow into it.

"Thanks, Luna. I love it." Sunset smiled warmly, rubbing the stylized sun patch on her thigh.

"I'm glad. I had to get Tia to steal one of your shirts from the laundry to get your…what do you call it?"

"Cutie mark." Sunset said.

"Right." Luna nodded, "Now, we leave in an hour!" she announced as she then padded back upstairs.

"She really likes holidays, doesn't she?" Sunset asked.

"You have _no_ idea." Chrysalis said, "Wait until she brings out the hats for Christmas Eve."

Sunset chuckled, "I'm going up stairs to finish my homework so I don't have to worry about it later."

"Alright," Celestia nodded, "I'll call you when we're ready to go."

Sunset nodded then ran upstairs.

Celestia sighed contently.

"I see you've made some progress." Chrysalis said simply.

Celestia smiled, "Yes, she's finally come around."

"Sunset seems to have gravitated towards you a lot." Chrysalis said, "As soon as she ran in the door last night, she immediately asked where you were and took off."

"Well, she _was_ running from my sister."

"Tia, I've been in this business long enough to know that, consciously or not, she was looking for you to protect her." Chrys stated, "She did the same thing during that movie last night."

Celestia sighed, "I noticed that too, I just thought it was in my head."

Chrysalis smiled knowingly, "Well, I can assure you it's not." She chuckled, "I was up before you and, from what I saw, she seems like she feels safe with you, which, by knowing about how she was in the past, seems like something she doesn't feel very often."

Celestia smiled, she had woken up not long after Chrysalis had to see Sunset sleeping peacefully in the cocoon of her arms.

"That's kind of the reason why I wanted to wait until I saw you again to finish the paperwork." Chrysalis stated.

"What? Why?" she asked.

Chrysalis placed her hand on Celestia's, "When I first met Sunset, I could see how she acted around you. Luna has been keeping me up to date on her situation and, from what she tells me, all that girl wants is for you to be proud of her and to care about her. All of which you have given her and she seems… happier than she was in the hospital, before you gave her a home." She paused to let Celestia process for a moment before continuing, "Even the way _you_ act with her Tia, you care about that girl with all your heart." She leaned back in her chair, "She's a lot like you, you know. The way she stands, the look in her eyes right down to the tea you like."

Celestia sighed deeply, "Where are you going with this."

Chrysalis gave her an, 'are you kidding me right now?' look, "Come on Tia, you know what I mean. You are already acting like Sunset's mother and she is responding to it as such. Luna even told me about the statement she made at the mall." She took a deep breath and looked the other woman in the eye, "Look, that girl needs a mom and I think she actually wants one, whether she realizes it or not."

Celestia was at a loss for words, mouth hung slightly ajar.

"Face it, Celestia. _You_ want to be able to be her mom as much as she wants you to be." Chrysalis said softly, "I just want you to think of your options here. The papers for guardianship are almost filed and by March, you will be eligible to legally adopt her."

The pale woman's jaw dropped more, unsure of how to respond.

Chrys gave her a warm smile, "You don't have to say anything right now. I just want you to _really_ think about it. I think it would be good for both of you to fill that empty space I know you both have."

Celestia smiled then shook her head, "Again, you know me better than I know myself."

"I know." She said smugly, "And I'm pretty sure after the holidays, even your _parents_ will agree with me."

"For now, let's let the chips fall where they may." Celestia said, "She's safe and happy. That's all that I care about for now."

Chrysalis smiled before moving on to another topic.

They all took Celestia's SUV to the mall. Chrysalis and Sunset sat in the back seat and got to know each other a little better while Luna and Celestia talked about their trip to see their parents.

While talking to Sunset about vehicles, the topic of motorcycles came up again.

"Look," Sunset explained, "I get cars and trucks are more practical and a lot warmer but I've always found I like a bit of an adrenaline rush. I always saw them on the roads and have always wanted to learn to ride one."

"I admit," Chrysalis responded, "I much prefer my bike as well. It's also easier to maintain yourself than a car in my opinion."

Sunset grinned, "I've noticed. I researched the mechanics behind cars and motorcycles but the engineering in cars just seems a lot more complex."

"Celestia was right," Chrysalis mused, "You're quite the bookworm."

Sunset shrugged as they continued on about bikes.

Both Chrysalis and Sunset were in their own world, not even noticing that Celestia and Luna had stopped talking just to listen to them.

"I admit," Luna said to her sister, "I can't believe you didn't see it coming when you first started bonding with her."

Celestia sighed, "I know but I still had hope." She glanced in the rear-view mirror at Chrysalis explaining to an incredibly intrigued Sunset about how the motorcycle worked, "I'm going to have to let her on one, aren't I?"

Luna nodded, "You know she'd eventually do it even if you said no. Besides, wouldn't it make sense?"

Celestia raised her brow.

"Most teenagers her age are getting their licenses and she's yet to get her permit." Luna explained, "She's going to want to drive something without adult supervision soon."

Celestia groaned, "Can we talk about this later? I'm already scared for when she wants to learn drive to begin with." She glanced at Sunset, "And it's a conversation I expect to be having very soon."

Luna chuckled, "Whatever you say, Sister."

When they got to the mall, the four women made their way to the big 'winter wonderland' in the middle of the mall and waited in line.

Sunset and Celestia began to talk about books they both enjoyed and the ones they were currently reading. Meanwhile, Chrysalis and Luna engaged in a heated debate about some video game neither Celestia or Sunset understood.

Finally, the people in front of them finally went for their turn and Sunset started to grow nervous for theirs.

"I'm nervous." Sunset said to Celestia.

"It's a bit overwhelming for you isn't it?" Celestia observed.

Sunset rubbed the arm of her sweater, "Yeah, I've never been in a picture that wasn't for school but even then, I don't go for the class one."

Celestia nodded, "I've noticed you always disappear after your ID photo."

Sunset shifted uncomfortably, "I mean, your family is going to see it."

After a moment of contemplation, Celestia looked back at Sunset, "Think of it as that picture you took with your friends on Halloween. It's just for fun. Don't think of it like other people are going to see it. Think of it like it's for you."

Sunset gave Celestia a wan smile, "I'll try."

When it was their turn, Luna lead the way and took a seat next to the man dressed as Santa and Chrysalis sat next to her. On the other side, Celestia gently guided Sunset to sit between her and the red and white clad man.

The woman dressed as an elf behind the camera started to count down and Celestia noticed Sunset was still stiff. So, she poked her side, eliciting a small giggle just in time for the camera flash.

Sunset glared at Celestia.

"Let's try that again." The lady said.

Celestia placed her hands-on Sunset's shoulders and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Just relax, Sunset. It's just for fun."

Sunset nodded as Celestia gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and managed to hold it as the flash went off again.

While Luna and Chrysalis went to pay for the prints, Sunset stood off to the side with Celestia.

"That wasn't so bad." Sunset sighed, "But I'm glad it's over."

"Me too." Celestia gave a sinister smile, "I didn't know you were ticklish."

Sunset blushed, "I-I am n-not!"

Celestia decided to test this theory, and poked her side, causing the younger girl to laugh. Sunset then clasped her hands over her mouth.

"Not ticklish huh?"

"You just surprised me." Sunset fibbed.

Celestia raised a skeptical brow, "Oh really?"

Sunset saw a small glint in Celestia's eye and she tried to book-it but she wasn't fast enough. Within seconds Celestia had grabbed her and started to tickle her sides. Sunset's pure, childlike laughter made Celestia smile as Sunset tried, and failed to escape her grasp.

Luna and Chrysalis stood at a distance for a while just watching the scene in front of them.

"You think we should help her?" Chrysalis asked.

Luna smiled and shook her head, "Not just yet. I haven't seen either of them like that before and I am quite pleased. Especially since it seems that Sunset's finally starting to unwind."

Chrysalis chuckled and watched, "I talked to Celestia earlier."

"What did she say?"

"She's just going to play it by ear." Chrysalis said, "But we _both_ know she's already made a decision and just wants to be sure that Sunset would be happy with the situation."

"So, she's stalling." Luna said.

"Yep."

* * *

 **Happy 4th of July to all you Americans out there**

 **I am so PUMPED for the upcoming chapters. When I wrote them, it took a good week to create Celestia and Luna's parents but I think I did well.**

 **Also, I ended up asking my mom to watch a horror movie with me and we ended up watching all the on demand trailers for 2 hours. I'm going to be honest, my mom LOVES horror movies and I do NOT. There is the rare occasion where I want to watch one but I am a wuss when it comes to movies. I can go through haunted houses, wander through the woods alone and not even flinch, but for some reason,the movies just get to me.**

 **Anyway, I love your comments! I am so happy to have all of you supporting this story.**

 **See you tomorrow!**


	46. Happy

As soon as they got home, Luna and Chrysalis decided it was perfect time to fully introduce Sunset to video games. The three of them took to the basement while Celestia opted to make dinner instead.

Sunset marveled at the massive entertainment system with various consoles sitting under the television and two thin book shelves next to speakers on either side of the TV. Behind the couch was two workbenches', one having a monitor and a half put together tower and the other was scattered with computer parts and casings. There were a few books on the shelf next to it but it mostly contained various labeled bins with everything from wires to motherboards sticking out of them. To the very back of the basement, was the laundry room and furnace.

"Woah." Sunset said.

Luna looked at her and grinned, "Yes, this is the entertainment room and workspace. When I'm not in my room, I come down here to play on the consoles or attempt to put together computers and laptops.

Sunset was thoroughly impressed, "Celestia did say you have been building computers since you were little."

Chrysalis sighed, "Don't encourage her."

Luna waved off her friend and smiled proudly, "My father taught me almost everything I know. He used to fix computers for a living. When I was thirteen, I was good enough at fixing them he started to pay me to help him."

Sunset smiled, "Wow, I only really know how to fix program issues."

Luna raised a brow, " _You_ know how to fix computers."

Sunset frowned slightly, "Yeah, I learned how when I started hacking student's email accounts and phones."

Chrys and Luna exchanged concerned looks, not meaning to upset the girl by getting her to reminisce on her past. So, Luna quickly changed the subject back to video games, successfully putting a smile back on Sunset's face.

Luna started her off with a first-person shooter and, at first, they all cringed at how often Sunset died. Come the second round however, she was starting to get the hang of it. After a few hours, Sunset was actually putting up a fight.

All three women were so focused on playing and shouting insults at each other, they didn't see or hear Celestia come down stairs and stand directly behind the couch. Eventually, Chrysalis noticed and they both smiled manically.

Chrys focused on the game as if she never saw her and Celestia slowly moved towards Sunset and Luna who had yet to notice her.

She waited until there was ten seconds left on the countdown clock and, quickly grabbed their shoulders "Who's winning?" She said suddenly.

Sunset and Luna jumped and yelled. They both went to smack the offender but, instead, Celestia quickly dodged they smacked each other in the face with their controllers.

"Ow." They both groaned, holding their foreheads.

Chrysalis and Celestia didn't even _attempt_ to conceal their laughter as the other two glared at Celestia. It didn't take long for Sunset and Luna to lose their composure as well and start to snicker.

Once everyone was calmed down, Celestia announced that dinner was ready. Celestia had prepared chicken and beef fajitas which was something Sunset had never heard of before but found it rather delicious.

The majority of the chicken was saved specifically for Sunset as, everyone was aware she didn't eat beef.

After dinner, Sunset helped Celestia clean up the kitchen and put everything away while Luna and Chrysalis started bringing something in from the garage.

"What are they doing?" Sunset asked.

Celestia smiled, "They are bringing in the decorations. We usually do it at the beginning of the month but there has been a lot going on lately."

"Oh yeah." Sunset mused, "Like a tree and ornaments and stuff like that?"

Celestia nodded.

"You know, even the traditions here are similar to Equestria." Sunset said, "We had Heartwarming instead of Christmas. Same thing though; presents, decorations, trees..."

"At least I don't have to worry about having to explain it to you." Celestia said.

Sunset chuckled, "I'm almost surprised I remembered."

Celestia smiled sadly at that but she made sure Sunset didn't see. She was still having a hard time dealing with the fact that it's been years since Sunset had had any type of holiday. It hurt Celestia's heart that the young girl was so nonchalant about it now.

Once they were finished, they met Luna and Chrysalis in the living room as they just finished stringing the lights on the tree. Luna and Chrysalis ran up to them, wearing red and white hats and put one on each of their heads as well.

Sunset adjusted hers and looked at Luna with a quizzical look.

"What?" Luna defended, "It's tradition."

Sunset looked to Celestia who shrugged, "She's right. You have to wear it for decorating and present opening."

Sunset shrugged as well, "Alright."

It took a bit of coaxing at first but soon, Sunset happily participated in putting the ornaments on the tree.

When they got to the red and silver tinsel, Sunset's more childish humor broke free. She took a strand of red and walked discretely around the couch towards Celestia. When Luna and Chrysalis noticed what she was doing, they grinned and grabbed strands of their own and began to walk towards the tall woman.

"What are you two doing?" Celestia questioned the two darker women inching towards her.

Without any warning Sunset threw a tangled strand of garland on her head which sat nicely on top of Celestia's head like another layer of sparkly hair. The surprised look on Celestia's face when Sunset came around in front of her made Sunset grip her stomach laughing.

Luna approached her sister and wrapped her stand around Celestia like a sash.

"Are you done yet?" Celestia raised her eyebrow at her sister and Sunset laughing.

"Nope." Chrysalis said.

Then it happened. Sunset and Luna hit the floor laughing as Chrysalis put the star meant for the tree on Celestia's head.

"Does anyone have their phone on them?" Chrysalis asked between laughs. Sunset handed Chrys her phone and she snapped a picture then immediately sent it to herself and Luna.

Celestia gave the three of them a terrifyingly sweet smile. The three of them exchanged looks and nervous smiles. Unluckily for Luna and Sunset, they were on the floor surrounded by boxes and somehow, none of them noticed the entire bag of tinsel next to the taller woman.

In one, swift, movement, Celestia had grabbed the bag and dumped it completely over Sunset and Luna then went to put the star on Luna's head. They both gave her blank looks as she glared but soon, they were all laughing at the red and silver tangled mound that was Sunset and Luna.

Chrysalis used Sunset's phone to capture the scene all the while laughing with them.

Sunset couldn't help but appreciate how happy she was in that moment and reflect on how unusually comfortable she felt throwing the tinsel on Celestia. However, she also still found it hard to believe that she was going to spend Christmas with these wonderful people.

After they cleaned up all of the tinsel and actually put some on the tree, they put some other Christmas paraphernalia around the main floor such as little statutes and table cloths. Sunset helped Luna and Chrysalis take the boxes back out to the garage while Celestia made some hot chocolate then they all congregated back into the living room.

"Well that was...eventful." Celestia said.

Sunset snickered but didn't reply.

They all stayed in a comfortable silence while drinking their cocoa until, a few minutes later, Sunset got lost in her own head, humming to herself.

"Sunset?" Luna questioned, "What are you humming?"

Sunset flipped her head towards Luna as if startled, "Oh, sorry, it's just a song I've had in my head for a while."

"What is it called?" asked Chrysalis.

Sunset shrugged, "I don't know. I don't have a name for it yet."

"Wait, you're _writing_ a song?" Chrysalis said in surprise.

Sunset blushed, "Yeah but without my guitar, I can't finish it."

"Is this the song you told me about when we first started our sessions?" Celestia asked.

"Yeah, I actually have some of the tune and lyrics but it's hard to make them fit without music." Sunset said.

Celestia nodded, "Well, if you ever do have a chance to finish it, we'd love to hear it."

Sunset gave a small smile, and simply replied with: "Sure."

It wasn't long before everyone split off into their own areas.

Sunset got into her room and shut the door then sat at her desk and took out her sketch book. She decided to finish working on the drawing for Pinkie Pie and while she did, Sunset got to thinking about everything that's happened to her in the past few months from turning into a demon, turning back, talking with Celestia, being hated, making friends that wanted to protect her, and finally, being taken in by Celestia, being a part of their holiday, and…their family.

She didn't realize before now that she never actually sat back and thought about everything and, now that she did; it was a bit overwhelming. Sunset moved the sketch book out of the way as she felt the tears well up in her eyes and down her cheeks. She gripped at her heart through her sweater.

The thoughts of Celestia being there for her in the hospital so she wasn't alone. How she comforted her when she was upset or unsure. How safe she felt now in her new home, Sunset realized was almost too much for her to handle. There had been so much going on that she never had a chance to think about everything as a whole.

She thought about her lonely, secluded childhood and how much more alone she was when she fled Equestria. Sunset hated who she was and was working hard to distance herself from that. Because of all the people surrounding her, she was learning to trust again, to care about others and to accept when others cared about her and not push them away. Everything that was happening to her was making her better and she _relished_ in it.

Since coming to the human world and even when she was at the palace, the one thing she wanted, the _only_ thing she's _ever_ wanted was to be loved and accepted for who she was. Sunset never admitted it but she craved it, she ached for it. For someone to be proud of her. For someone to love her and to pick her up when she fell. To put her back together when she broke and not cast her aside. Someone who just wanted her how she is.

Finally, after so long, she has everything she wanted and everything she didn't know she needed.

The tears kept falling and Sunset was failing to hold back the sobs. She was just so happy that she didn't have any other way to get it out.

She didn't notice Luna poke her head in and rush to get Celestia.

Soon, there was a knock on her door and when she didn't answer, Celestia let herself in and approached Sunset at her desk.

"Sunset, honey, what's wrong?" Celestia asked delicately, kneeling on the floor next to her.

When she still didn't respond, she carefully turned Sunset to face her. She couldn't figure out what could possibly be wrong. As far as Celestia was aware, they had a rather enjoyable night.

The next thing she knew, Sunset tackled her in a hug and cried harder. Celestia wrapped her in a hug that, for some reason made Sunset hold on harder.

"Sunset, I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong." Celestia said softly she held her.

It was then, another thought occurred to Sunset, something that, as of late, she has only thought in passing. The thing she wanted, no, _needed_ most in either world, wasn't grades, money, a roof over her head or even food. What she's need for so long is a mother's love.

"That's j-just it. N-nothings' wrong." Sunset managed as she refused let go of Celestia, "I just re-realized how happy I actually am."

Celestia paused for a moment and soon, a stray tear ran down her cheek and a soft smile graced her lips, "Oh, Sunset. You have no idea how glad I am to hear that."

Sunset gave her another squeeze, "Thank you, Celestia. For everything you've done for me. Thank you for caring about me as much as you do. Last time someone cared like this, I…I don't even remember now."

Fresh tears fell from both of their faces as Celestia just held Sunset like a small child. _Her_ small child.

Celestia kissed the top of Sunset's head, "I love you as if you were my own child, Sunset. I love you for who you are. Nothing will change that."

Sunset buried her head further in Celestia's chest and continued to cry until she had no tears left.

Celestia guided Sunset off the floor and on to her bed where, even Celestia could tell she could be out at any second.

"You should get some sleep." She said in a soft tone.

What happened next was something she never expected.

"Can you stay a little longer?" Sunset asked in a small, half asleep voice, "Please?"

Celestia's heart swelled as she lay down next to Sunset and started to run her fingers through her hair as her mother used to do to her. It didn't take long for Sunset to fall asleep.

Celestia smiled as she got up and carefully moved the covers so they were covering Sunset. She shut the light off and left the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Really didn't know how else to title this chapter.

Guess what?! I'm making this into an audio book and hopefully, actually get people to voice the characters because I'm ONE person. I will be voicing at least one character the narrator probably AND I really want to do Sunset's demon. If any of you want to voice something, I have a casing call at the Casting call club. Search up my regular username. It would be awesome if I had some of you voicing the characters!

Also, had a job interview today and...ugh I hate interviews. I think it went OK though because I got it!

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think I look like IRL? Including gender


	47. The Drive

**Author's Note (And Note to Teodora Husanu):**

 **PLEASE READ**

 **Hey, so, 2 things. One, please read the 'Scars of Our Past Volume 2?' Blog post, on my FiM Fiction account. I have the same username and emblem across the board. It contains a question to all my readers.**  
 **The second one is that I still need voice actors for the Audio book. If you are interested, please PM me!**

 **To Teodora Husanu: I didn't know how else to reply to your last comment and I just wanted to say you are very welcome! I think we would get along as well considering I like Sunset for the same reasons. Everything from the show and my own personality (yes i'm ticklish too) was written into Scars. The only difference is that I was not an orphan nor was I a unicorn. But I mean, come on, that would be pretty sweet. Also, I am really glad to have you sticking with me since the first month of Scars. You are seriously awesome.**

 **Anyway, See you all Thursday!**

* * *

Saturday and Sunday flew by despite nothing really going on and Sunday evening was spent shoving things into suitcases and Celestia and Luna shoving things in both of their cars. Sunset and Chrysalis stood by the garage watching amusedly as the sisters kept arguing and trading off what they had in their vehicles.

In the end, since Luna had the least amount of trunk space, they opted to put the Suitcases in her car while they put the presents and Sunset's back pack in Celestia's SUV.

Monday was an early morning with an extremely quick breakfast. Sunset ended up scarfing down the last of her toast while putting on her jacket.

"Everyone have everything?" Celestia asked as they went to the vehicles.

"Tia, this is the third time you've asked." Luna complained.

"I just want to be thorough." She defended.

Sunset yawned, "It's six AM, you were thorough until eleven last night, I think we're good."

"See? Even the Kid's had enough!" Luna said.

"Come on! Let's get going. It's a long drive." Chrys shouted from the driver's seat of Luna's car.

"Who said you could drive?" Luna growled at her.

"I did. You can nap." Chrys said.

Luna thought about the prospect of more sleep and smiled getting into the car.

Celestia and Sunset got into the SUV and, after a quick nod to Chrysalis. Both vehicles pulled away from the house.

After a few moments, Sunset spoke. "So how far is your parents' place anyway?"

"About a five-hour drive." Celestia said, "We'll make a few pitstops along the way including an early lunch."

"I've never been outside of the Canterlot area before." Sunset mused.

"What about field trips?" Celestia asked.

Sunset shrugged, "Never went on them. Didn't see the appeal nor did I have the funds."

Celestia nodded, "On another note, how are you feeling?"

Sunset turned to Celestia and smiled, "Great actually. I'm less nervous about it now." She bit her lip, "but, what exactly did you tell them about me?"

"I didn't tell them where you are really from if that helps." Celestia said, "As sweet and caring as they are, I doubt they'd believe you were really a unicorn from an alternate world."

Sunset chuckled, "I guess it's something you really need to see to believe."

Celestia giggled as well, "Yes, you're right. I told them a bit about your past while at the school and that you have been on your own for a long time. They also know about the earthquake."

Sunset frowned, "So pretty much all the need to know stuff."

"Sunset, I know you don't like to think about how you were but sometimes, it's good to let people know. It can help people understand you better so they don't cross any kind of line that may come up. I assure you that my parents won't judge you on your past." Celestia chuckled a bit, "If they did, they would have disowned our entire household _years_ ago."

"That actually makes me feel a lot better, thanks." Sunset smiled.

As the drive continued, they talked a little about themselves and Sunset told Celestia a few stories about Heartwarming in Equestria and Celestia told her about some of the lore centered around Christmas in the human world.

At some point, Sunset got out her sketch book and started drawing.

"How many pages do you have left in that?" Celestia asked.

Sunset flipped through and frowned slightly, "After this one, three."

"You've been drawing a lot since you got out of the hospital." Celestia said.

She finished the part of her drawing she was working on before she responded, "It's been a good outlet for me. Whenever I was nervous or upset about something, I would usually push people around out of anger or frustration. Now, I either start to draw something or get out my sheet music."

Celestia smiled, "I'm glad you found a hobby. When we first started talking, you didn't actually have one."

Sunset nodded, "Yeah I usually just surfed around the internet, read or studied in the spare time I had when I wasn't scheming until I got my guitar."

"That doesn't sound very enjoyable." She said honestly..

"Not so much, but I'd say it was worth it. I knew next to nothing about the history or biology here. I had to pretty much re-teach myself how to write and move my hands where I wanted them." Sunset explained, "The main reason I took up guitar was to learn dexterity fast. Then I had to learn how to hold my own in a fight."

"Fight?" Celestia said with a concerned tone.

"Yeah, I mean, have you _seen_ the neighborhood I used to live in?" Sunset said, "A few months after I started middle school here I almost got mugged, I'm just lucky I outran the guy by ducking into that pizza place. After that, I signed up for a one-month self-defense course and took a few boxing lesson's." She sighed, "It's come in handy more times than I care to admit."

"That sounds awful, Sunset!" Celestia exclaimed, "You should have told somebody, you could have gotten seriously hurt."

"Who was I going to tell?" Sunset questioned, "Someone would have told children's services and shipped me off to some orphanage somewhere. I needed to stay close to the portal."

"I suppose you're right but I still don't approve of a ten-year-old girl having to learn how to fight as a necessity." Celestia said.

Sunset shrunk in her seat slightly, "I know, sorry. If I'm honest though, it could happen to anybody. A little self-defense couldn't hurt."

Celestia was surprised that she accepted her statement without any real rebuttal. She half expected her to respond with something along the lines of; 'I never asked for your approval'. However, she then thought back to Sunset's break down and couldn't remotely see her giving such a response to her.

"Don't apologize, Sunset." Celestia said, "I'm glad you could handle yourself for so long and never got too terribly injured. Hearing things like this just makes me wish I knew about your situation sooner."

"I know." Sunset smiled softly, "But you _did_ find out and you and the girls helped me when I needed it most. All of you need to stop beating yourselves up about my past. I do that enough on my own."

Celestia pulled into a gas station and rubbed her face with her hands, "Sunset, you are a wonder."

Sunset blushed, "That's a new one."

"You are such a contrast to how you were before the formal and so mature about _most_ things."

"What do you mean 'most'?" Sunset asked.

Celestia took off her seat belt and opened the door, "You are still just a teenager, Sunset. Lately you've been letting it show in your actions."

Sunset smiled and got out of the car without responding. She knew there was truth in her statement. Lately, Sunset had acknowledged the fact that she found herself not playing it as safe as she used to. She has felt free to fool around without having to watch around every corner. It was a nice change.

After bathroom breaks and getting drinks, the four women got back into their respective vehicles and continued on their way after making plans of where to go for lunch.

While driving, Sunset started to study Celestia's hands and feet and got curious.

"What's driving like?" She asked.

The question itself made Celestia pale, "Excuse me?"

"What is it like to drive?" She asked again, curiosity rising, "Rarity and Pinkie seem to like it and they just got their licenses."

Celestia chewed her lip, "I guess it gives you a sense of freedom. It the best way I can describe it."

Sunset nodded and stared out the front window, wanting to ask another question but was unsure about how the older woman would respond.

Luckily for Sunset, Celestia wasn't stupid and knew why she asked in the first place, "I knew this was going to come up sooner or later. I take it you want to ask me if you could learn to drive?"

Sunset nodded.

"Well, Chrysalis was actually the first to see this coming." Celestia said, "Open the glove box. There should be a green and a yellow book inside."

Sunset did as she was instructed and pulled out the book then proceeded to read the cover of the yellow book. "Learners Hand Book." Then she read the title of the green book, "Motorcycle handbook. Wait seriously? I thought you didn't want me to get my motorcycle license."

"Honestly," Celestia sighed, "I'm still not too keen on the idea but since you got your papers so late, your friends are already graduating from their learners permits to licenses. Chrysalis pointed out that you would probably want the same freedom as well."

"Well you're not wrong." Sunset said, "I've been thinking about it for a while now but I only just got my papers this summer."

Celestia smiled, "From an alternate world or not, you're still a teenager who's seen a car. However, we do need to wait until those guardianship papers are put through."

Sunset returned Celestia's smile, "Thanks, I really appreciate it."

The older woman nodded, "Two conditions."

Sunset looked at her quizzically.

"One; you read both books starting with the yellow one, I will quiz you when you think you're ready and if I am confident you know the material, then and only then, you can take your test." Celestia said.

Sunset nodded, "I can do that. What's the second?"

"The only other thing I'm telling you is that if you want your motorcycle license first, that's fine but you need you save up and buy your own." Celestia said.

Sunset grinned, "Deal."

Celestia laughed at the excitement in Sunset's voice as she immediately opened the driver's manual and started to read it after putting her ear buds in.

The remaining drive to the diner was relatively quiet, other than the occasion that Sunset asked a question about what a certain phrase meant.

Shortly after they ate, they were back on the road again. Sunset closed the manual half way through and put both in her bag and continued to draw again and did so for the rest of the drive.

Celestia kept thinking of how far Sunset has come from a queen bee and bully, to a scared girl that felt so alone to the wonderful young woman she was now becoming. It's been three months since the formal and she couldn't be prouder of her.


	48. Summer and Sun

Sunset stood nervously outside the passenger door of Celestia's SUV, looking at the massive house in front of her. It was two stories but the entire house was at least twice the size as Luna and Celestia's. The front door was under a small stone awning held up by two white pillars. Bare bushes sat under the front first floor windows and from where she stood, Sunset could make out a white gazebo that was obviously not in use as it was covered in fluffy white snow.

"Are you OK, Sunset?" Chrysalis asked, giggling at her reaction.

"It's…" She trailed off.

"Big, I know." she agreed, "They bought this place when Summer retired."

"Sunset, Chrysalis a little help please?" Celestia called.

Obediently, they split off in order to help unload both vehicles.

Sunset slipped her back pack over her shoulders then allowed Celestia to place various packages in her arms.

"Uh, Celestia?" Sunset asked.

"What is it?" She asked attentively.

"What if I don't get along with them?"

Celestia looked in Sunset's worried eyes and smiled, "They'll love you Sunset. If it helps, I'm sure you and my mom will get along fine. She really likes to paint and sing."

Sunset gave a nod and she followed Celestia to the door where Luna and Chrysalis were already being greeted by the old couple.

As they got closer, Sunset could make out their appearances. The woman wore a warm, welcoming smile like Celestia's. Her hair was almost completely grey but you could still make out the greens and blacks of her natural hair color. Her blue skin was much like Luna's with the same soft pink eyes as Celestia.

The man had a friendly yet playful smile that reminded Sunset too much of Luna. He was one of the few elderly gentlemen that kept all of his hair that was a greying midnight blue. He had smoky grey-pink skin and dark hazel eyes that matched Luna's own.

When they saw Sunset and Celestia approach, they quickly ushered the four inside to drop the packages off in the living room before proceeding to actually greet the four ladies. Sunset stuck close to Celestia, her nerves starting to overload her brain.

"Sunset?" Celestia caught the teen's attention and directed it towards the older couple, "This is my mother and father: Summer Eclipse and Black Sun."

"Nice to meet you both." Sunset said, nervousness clear in her voice, "I'm Sunset Shimmer but you can just call me Sunset."

Black Sun chuckled, "Just call me Sun." He pointed at Sunset's chest, "You got something on your jacket by the way."

Sunset didn't look and raised a brow, "I'm not falling for that." She stated.

Still he didn't remove his finger, just stood there and smiled. They simply just stared at each other and was battling the urge to look. The other three just watched with interest.

After another moment, Sun spoke, "This is a nice phone by the way," he held up Sunset's phone in its orange case, still holding his finger to her chest.

Sunset's eyes widened, "How did you-"

She made the mistake of looking down to her pocket, allowing Sun to flick her nose. Sunset looked shocked as everyone snickered.

"OK, that was clever." She said as he returned her phone.

Summer Eclipse came forward and smiled at Sunset, "You may just call me Summer. Sorry for the old geezer's tricks. He's been doing it all his life."

"And I still got it!" Sun protested, causing Summer and Sunset to laugh.

Summer leaned over to whisper in Sunset's ear, "I'm glad you could join us."

When she retreated Sunset gave a small smile, "Thanks."

Summer clapped her hands together, "Alright, you all go get settled and we can catch up later."

With that, they grabbed their luggage and went upstairs.

The inside of the house had Sunset in awe. On the walls, were family pictures, awards, maps of the stars and paintings. The hallways on the second floor were in a 'T' shape, the stairs being the start on the top of the T.

"This is a big house." Sunset stated, a little overwhelmed.

"Yes, well, our father has always said, 'why settle for big when you can go bigger.'" Luna mocked, lowering her voice a few octaves.

They chuckled as they turned the corner and Luna and Chrysalis entered the two rooms at the end of the hall.

Celestia and Sunset stopped in front of the first door, the former leading the way in. Sunset scanned the simplicity of the moderately sized room.

It had a queen-sized bed in the corner adjacent to the door with dark wood head and foot boards. A small desk sat between the window and a book shelf and a massive wardrobe sat facing the bed on the same wall as the door. Walls were decorated with a painting of a lake with some deer and, ironically, sunset.

"This is going to be your room for our stay." Celestia explained, "My room is right next door and the bathroom is the first door on the left when you come up the stairs."

Sunset nodded as Celestia left her alone to put her things in her own room. She placed her backpack and suitcase on the chest and walked over to the window. So far it had been a long morning and it was hard to believe it was only early in the afternoon.

Sunset rubbed her arm nervously, feeling completely out of place in the new environment. Especially since she knew next to nothing about the hosts. She could feel the anxiety creeping up her so, to calm herself, she grabbed her sketchbook and pencils and sat on the floor, leaning against the bed.

After a few minutes of sketching, there was a small knock on the door. Sunset looked up to see Celestia walking in and sitting on the bed.

"Feeling anxious?" Celestia questioned.

She nodded, "How'd you guess?"

Celestia tapped the book, "You like to sketch to relax, or when you're bored but you have only been in here for five minutes."

Sunset chuckled, "I guess you have a point. It's just weird being in someone else's house. I _just_ got used to yours."

"I know. I apologize for moving you around like this so soon." Celestia sighed.

"It's fine." Sunset said, "I honestly couldn't see you not seeing your parents for the holidays. It's just a bit odd for me."

Celestia nodded, "I understand but it seems that they already like you."

They sat in silence for another few seconds before Celestia got up, "How about we join everyone down stairs? You can bring your sketchbook if it would make you feel more comfortable."

Sunset smiled and got to her feet and followed Celestia back to the living room, clutching her sketchbook close to her chest.

Down stairs, Luna and Chrysalis were sitting on the loveseat across from Sun and Summer, chatting with the older couple. Celestia sat next to her parents while Sunset took a seat on the large chair between the two couches.

Sunset wasn't paying much attention to the conversation, essentially distancing herself from the other five. That was, until she heard someone say her name.

"So, Sunset," Summer said, "How have you been?"

Sunset stared at the woman for a moment with a slight panic, looking to Celestia before answering, "Um, good?"

Sun looked at her quizzically, "You sound unsure of yourself, kid."

Sunset nervously fidgeted with her pencil, "Sorry, I'm just kind of nervous around new people."

He smiled, "Not to worry, we'll loosen you up eventually."

"I see you like to draw." Summer said, gesturing to Sunset's sketch book.

The teen swallowed hard and nodded, "Yeah."

"What do you like to draw?" Summer persisted.

Sunset chewed the inside of her cheek then looked at Celestia with trepidation. The older woman nodded slightly so Sunset reached over and handed Summer her sketch book.

The woman opened it and scanned through the pages, taking a few moments to study each picture.

"You're quite good." She said, "and you seem happier now."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "Happier?"

She nodded, "The first pages are you experimenting then, your drawings start to get dark. The most recent pages seemed to be lighter."

She handed the book back with a small smile which Sunset returned.

"Well, you're right." Sunset said simply, "I am a lot happier now."

Summer smiled at Sunset, "I'm glad."

"So," Sun said getting up, "How about some gingerbread?"

Luna, Chrysalis and Sun didn't waste time going into the kitchen. The other three rose and snickered.

"At least I know who Luna takes after." Sunset chuckled.

"He taught her everything she knows." Summer said, "Including video games."

"Did someone say video games?" Sun poked his head in from the kitchen.

"Sunset is fairly new to them, Father." Luna explained.

Sun got a sinister look in his eye that made Celestia and Sunset exchange nervous glances, "Think we found our pass time for this afternoon."

Sunset leaned over to Celestia and spoke in a hushed tone, "I feel like I should be scared of him."

"You should be." Celestia said, "He's ruthless."

"Oh, don't think you're getting out of this Tia." Luna stated, "It's been far too long."

Celestia started to argue but Sunset grinned wickedly as well.

"Which way?" Sunset asked.

Sun pointed to the hallway, "Basement, right by the back door."

Without further hesitation, Sunset began to push Celestia towards the basement, soon joined by Luna who assisted in pushing her sister.

"I knew I liked you!" Luna said.

Sunset giggled and they fist bumped each other, when Celestia began to walk towards the door on her own, "Please, not as much as you like Ch-"

"NO!" Luna sad quickly, "Don't you dare."

Sunset looked at her in mock innocence, "Dare what?"

"Oh, you little-"

"Down girl." Chrysalis said patting Luna's head, "You're going to lose this battle. She's way wittier than you are."

"I thought you were on my side." Luna grumbled.

"Only when you have a chance." Chrysalis teased.

Sunset laughed and followed Celestia down the stairs, "You just got burned."

"Shut up."

"I think I hear the fire alarm." The teen said.

"One more, I dare you."

"Hey, Celestia!" Sunset called.

"Yes?"

"Where's the fire extinguisher?"

"You're dead meat." Luna said as she chased her down the stairs.


	49. The Studio

After playing videogames for a bit, they all broke for dinner. Sunset was awkward at first but after a few minutes, she managed to relax. She got along well with Luna and Celestia's parents, more so Summer.

It was odd getting to know them. To Sunset, it almost felt like going back in time thousands of years, knowing very well they are the counterparts of the Equestrian Luna and Celestia's parents. They were the predecessors before Equestria was even founded.

After dinner, Celestia retreated to her room to read while Luna and Chrysalis went to the basement with Sun. That left Sunset sitting in the living room alone with Summer.

It was silent for a few minutes before Summer spoke, "Your drawings tell quite the story."

Sunset looked at Summer with a raised brow, "They do? They're just pictures."

Summer smiled, "Yes but they say a picture is worth a thousand words. You've seen my paintings around the house, yes?"

Sunset nodded, "They're really good."

"Thank you, dear." Summer smiled softly, "Each one tells a story, a happy memory."

"I kind of see what you mean." Sunset said, thinking back to the paintings she had seen.

"Yours shows fear, yes?"

Sunset snapped her head and looked right into Summer's kind eyes, "Yeah." She said sadly.

Summer smiled again then got up, "Come with me, I want to show you something."

Sunset raised an eyebrow but obediently followed the elderly woman through the house to a room with wooden doors. Upon entering, Sunset's breath was taken away.

The walls and ceiling were painted like the night sky, with canvases leaning against the wall. There was a desk on each side of the room with three or four easels scattered around the room, two of which had paintings on them. Sunset looked around and Summer was happy to see how intrigued Sunset was with each painting.

"This is amazing." Sunset breathed.

"Welcome to my art studio." The woman smiled.

"You painted all of these?"

She nodded then went over to a cupboard that was pushed into the corner opposite to the window. After rummaging around, she smiled as she brought out an old sketchbook with '1959' painted in red on the black cover.

Summer waved Sunset over to a desk with two-fold up chairs. They sat down and Summer put the book on the desk between them.

"When I was a few years younger than you, I started sketching." Summer explained, "I have at least two for each year since I first started and this one," She placed a hand on the book, "It's from when I was a teenager."

Sunset opened the book and scanned through. All of the pictures were in black and white but the woman, as a teenager, was amazing at portraying the correct color through her shading. There were so many pictures of people, little scenes, hearts and, of course, constellations. Some of the constellations even had shapes drawn over them.

"You see," Summer said, "Everything you draw, tells a story. Even just a fun drawing. The hearts, and sketches of my desk, were from a break up. Some of them were memories of my friends and family and," She flipped to a page to a girl crouched on the pavement with a sweater and black pants, looking powerful and heroic. "Belladonna, a super hero I had come up with as an escape."

Sunset's eyes widened, " _You_ drew super heroes?"

Summer laughed, "Yes, well, Black Sun and I wouldn't have gotten very far in our relationship if we weren't both geeks."

Sunset laughed, "I guess you're right. How does that tell a story though?"

"Have you never read a comic book?" She questioned.

Sunset shrugged, "I think I read two when I was thirteen. Luna has me watching the Marvel movies though."

"Well, we will have to fix that. There's nothing like the classics." She said, "But before that though; Belladonna was me drawing the person who I wanted to be and she solved all of the problems I couldn't in the form of super villains."

Sunset grinned, "That is so cool. Rainbow would love this!"

"Now, how about I show some comic books." Summer smiled, going back to the cupboard and pointed to the bin at the bottom, "Can you get that please? I'm not as young as I used to be."

Sunset obliged, lifting the bin out of the shelf and brought it back over to the desk. Summer opened the bin and began going through it, picking out various books. By the time she was done, there was enough to be considered a large novel.

"You read these and then tell me what you like." She said.

Sunset stared at the pile of comic books that were put into her hands ranging from 'The Flash' to 'The Secret War'.

"Now, you can read in here, in your room or in the living room." The woman grinned, "I'm going to be working in here."

Sunset nodded, "Alright, I'll be in my room."

Summer waved her off and the teen went up to her room.

She set the comic books on the desk and grabbed the Capitan America one on top. After getting comfortable on the bed, Sunset removed the book's protective sleeve and began reading through it.

This went on for a couple hours and Sunset was nothing but careful with them, having read that some comics could eventually be worth thousands.

At some point in the night, Celestia knocked on Sunset's open door but received no response.

The older woman looked to the three piles of comic books on the desk and the teen engrossed in one on the bed with her earbuds in her ears, not noticing her presence.

Celestia smiled, _She's been talking to my mother._

Celestia entered the room and got to the edge of the bed before Sunset noticed her.

"Oh, hey." Sunset greeted.

"My mom lent you some of her comic books I see." Celestia mused, "Which ones do you like so far?"

"The Flash and a lot of the Marvel comics." Sunset said.

Celestia smiled, "I told you that you two would get along."

Sunset put the book on the end table. "Yeah, I like what she did to her Studio too. Her paintings are pretty cool."

Celestia's features turned to surprise, "Mom let you into her studio?"

Sunset looked questionably at Celestia, "Uh…yes?"

"Luna and _I_ aren't allowed to go in." Celestia said.

Sunset blinked, "Um…"

"Now, Celestia you _know_ why you and your sister aren't allowed in there." A voice spoke from the door way.

They turned to the doorway to see Summer with a smirk on her face.

"What?" Sunset asked, "Why?"

"Because," Celestia explained, "When we were teenagers, Luna and I got into a fight in the studio of the old house."

"They pained everything pink and yellow." Summer finished, "Now I only let people who actually appreciate art inside."

Sunset nodded, "Yeah that makes sense."

"Since when are you on her side?" Celestia questioned.

"Since I can go into the studio and I have her comic books on the desk." Sunset said in a serious tone.

Summer laughed, "The girl has sass."

Celestia smiled and shook her head, "Yes, yes she does."

Sunset looked up at Celestia and grinned

After they left Sunset alone to read, Celestia and Summer went and had tea in the kitchen. They could hear the faint yelling of the three 'teenagers' in the basement so Summer shut the door before joining Celestia at the kitchen table.

"So Sunset…" Summer started.

Celestia sighed, "Did Chrysalis talk to you?"

"No, just an observation, honey." She stated. "And I take it that you haven't really talked to her about it."

"Of course not." Celestia said, "How do I even approach that. I feel like I'm pushing some boundaries."

Summer scoffed, "Excuses and you know it."

"Eventually maybe." Celestia said, "She's only been living with us for a month. I want to give her time to adjust. She's used to following her own rules."

Summer nodded in understanding, "I suppose you're right. She does seem to fit in well though. Sunset's already part of the family."

"I know." Celestia smiled.

"You know," Summer said, putting her hand over Celestia's, "Ever since you were in collage, we've talked about you possibly having children one day."

"Yes, and I could never see myself as being pregnant." She replied.

"I know and, honestly neither could your father and I." Summer explained, "Ever since you and Luna were in high school, we knew we would never have _biological_ grandchildren."

Celestia raised a brow, "You did?"

Summer chuckled, "Of _course_ we did. You've been talking about how you wish you could help all those kids without families and how being pregnant was pointless."

"I remember that conversation but I never really thought anything of it." Celestia admitted.

"Well, you father and I have been thinking about it for years." Summer said then gave her daughter a warm smile, "And I wouldn't want you two any other way."

Celestia smiled at her mother, "Thank you, mom. And as for Sunset…"

Summer raised her hand to stop Celestia, "You don't have to say anything. I like Sunset and would love nothing more than for her to officially become a member of the family but there is no rush. You do whatever you think is best for Sunset _and_ yourself."

Celestia sighed and hung her head, "She wants a motorcycle."

Summer blinked, "And you're going to let her?"

"Blame Chrysalis." Celestia stated, "But her friends are going to have their licenses by the end of the school year and she does need the freedom."

"I suppose." Summer said, "And from what you told me, she used to have all the freedom in the world. I doubt you'd be able to stop even if you said no.

Celestia chuckled.

After a brief pause Summer spoke again, "So how are the other two?"

Celestia groaned, "So obvious to everyone but themselves. When Sunset first saw them in the same room she asked me if they were dating."

"Like I said before, mistletoe is an option." She said.

"I don't really need to see that, Mom." Celestia said.

"But it works."

"What works?" Luna's voice said as she pushed the door open.

 **Author's Note**

 **ALRIGHT. One, thank you all so much for reading Scars! It was really fun to write. I am now working on the second volume! However, this one is almost done. Today and Thursday are the last regular post days for scars and next week, a chapter a day until completion.**

 **It's been quite the ride and I hope you will like what I do with the second volume! If you want to say updated, keep an eye one my blog here on fimfiction or my Twitter account: @JWolfSilver**


	50. Christmas

**Author's Note**

 **HEYA!**

 **Well, this is it. The last weekly post for Scars of Our past. Everything but the Author's notes is prepped and ready for next week where, starting Monday, I will post at least 1 chapter every day for 7 straight days. The 24th is my birthday, meaning 2 chapters same with the last day.**

* * *

Sunset was rudely awoken by a large weight jumping on to her bed. She tried to ignore it but it incessantly bounced in place. With a grumble, she opened her eyes to see Luna sitting on top of her. Sunset glared at the older woman and shifted so Luna ended up on the floor.

When Sunset rolled back over, Luna huffed, "Get up! The faster you're out of bed the faster we can open presents! It's already seven o'clock!"

"It's a holiday." Sunset said into her pillow

"It's Christmas! In this family, you don't get to sleep in." Luna informed.

Sunset honestly didn't care what traditions they had, despite knowing it was probably instilled by Luna at a young age, she had no intention on getting up until she was good and ready. Sadly, hers and Luna's brains were not on the same wavelength.

Luna threw the covers off of Sunset and physically yanked her out of bed.

"Hey!" Sunset yelled in protest, "What is wrong with you?!" Sunset tried to get free, "Put me down!"

"Are you awake?" Luna questioned calmly.

"Luna, just put her down." Celestia said, standing in the doorway.

The blue haired woman rolled her eyes but let the girl down.

Sunset walked past Celestia, "Control that!" She said pointing to Luna as she walked out of the room and headed to the kitchen.

When Sunset was out of ear shot, the sisters looked at each other and giggled before heading down stairs as well.

Summer had made a variety of waffles and pancakes along with bacon for everyone but Sunset. The eldest woman got into a conversation with Sunset about the comics she'd borrowed; listing off the ones she'd liked. Luna was more than happy to join into that conversation. Celestia even had a few things to say.

After breakfast, Celestia and Sunset helped Summer clean up the kitchen. As soon as they were done, Luna suddenly appeared behind them and plopped red and white hats on their heads.

"I swear she has a sixth sense for knowing when we finished cleaning." Celestia sighed.

"I thought you said you left the hats at home?" Summer questioned.

"We did." Sunset and Celestia said in unison.

The three went to the living room, Luna and Sun excitedly sitting on the floor by the tree with Chrysalis sitting half asleep on the arm chair. The three women sat on the couch and Luna looked to her father excitedly.

"Alright!" Sun said, "The rules are: everyone gets a present and when I say go, we open them at the same time."

Sunset chewed her lip. The entire situation was awkward for her but, for once she prided herself on being able hide her facial expressions.

Turns out, the need to hide her emotions didn't last long. After a couple presents, Sunset felt comfortable and was thankful no one really made a big deal about it. It was just a fun experience between everyone. There was no pressure to thank anyone as no one would say who got who what.

"Now, we got one present left for each!" Sun said, "Then if you need to, take a nap."

He looked between Chrysalis and Sunset who too was still drowsy.

Sun handed out the final presents and, when he said 'go', they all tore into them.

Sunset's breath caught in her throat. Within the red and white paper was the last thing Sunset expected; she carefully lifted it by the neck and placed the acoustic guitar in her lap and strummed at the cords.

"Why don't you play something, sweetie?" Summer said.

Sunset gave her a small smile and quickly tuned the guitar. She remembered a song people generally played during the holidays so, she started to play.

As she started to play 'silent night', Sunset heard humming next to her. Summer and Celestia were in perfect tune with each other as the others just listened. Sunset did mess up a few cords but she didn't let it phase her.

When the song finished: Sun, Chrys and Luna clapped. Sunset tried to hide her blush but to no avail. It didn't matter though as the applause soon faded into a series of random conversations.

Celestia gave her a one-armed hug then fell into a conversation with Summer.

After about an hour, Sunset and Chrysalis had both fallen asleep the latter of which had moved to the floor to use Luna's shoulder as a pillow while Sunset was curled up next to Celestia.

"That's just precious!" Summer said as she snapped a picture of Luna and Chrysalis.

"Mom!" Luna whined, "Tia's the one with the kid!"

"Well…" Celestia started.

Luna glared, "Don't."

"You can't berate her now, Celestia." Sun warned, "She's got something on _you_ now too." He gestured to Sunset.

"She fits in quite well." Summer nodded, "She's a smart one too."

"Yes, she is." Celestia said.

"She's going to figure it out for herself eventually, if she hasn't started already." Luna said, "She'll just be too scared to ask."

"She's right here you know." Celestia warned.

"Please," Luna scoffed, "You've seen her sleep. She reminds me of a rock."

Celestia rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else.

They all sat in the living room until lunch where Celestia and Luna woke up the two sleeping forms then hustled everyone upstairs to get dressed. After everyone was ready they met in the kitchen for lunch. Chrys and Sunset were a lot more awake so, needless to say, it was a very noisy affair.

Sunset smiled to herself, _I've never felt so…a part of something. I've been missing so much._

After Lunch, everyone gathered their things and loaded the vehicles.

"I hope you and Mom have fun in Hawaii." Celestia said, hugging her father.

He chuckled, "Thank you, Sunshine. Please call us if you go through with it."

Celestia rolled her eyes, "Of course, Dad." She looked around, "Speaking of which, where is Sunset?"

"Summer pulled her into the studio a few minutes ago." Sun told her, "They should be out soon."

Luna came up and draped her arm around her sister, "It's not fair that she was here for ten minutes and Mom lets her in but still won't forgive us for something we did as teenagers."

"I've come to accept it." He said, "And you should too."

Luna sighed, "What is taking them so long anyway?"

"Are you sure about this?" Sunset said, looking at the two bins in her arms, "Haven't you been collecting this since you were a kid?"

Summer waved off her concerns, "They are just collecting dust here, child. I'd rather someone I trust have them."

"You've known me for 27 hours." Sunset protested.

Summer let out a laugh, "You carry yourself like Celestia but you're witty like Luna. Besides, Tia has told me a lot about you since the fall."

"Really?" Sunset gulped, "So you know…"

The elderly woman gestured for Sunset to sit then looked her in the eyes, "I had to tell this to my daughters and now I'm going to say the same thing to you. You cannot keep dreading what you did in your past. What you did back then, it is not who you are now. It taught you something, I can see it in your eyes. Whatever happened, it burned you up."

Sunset looked at her feet.

"But now," She continued, "Like a phoenix, you rise from the ashes, a better person than who you were and you burn so much brighter now."

Summer stood and pulled Sunset up with her then wrapped Sunset in a hug. The teen was hesitant but then returned it.

"You deserve to be happy, Sunset." Summer said softly, "You now have a wonderful family and do not need to be alone anymore."

Sunset pulled away and whipped away a stray tear, "Thanks. It's different hearing it from you than Celestia."

Summer giggled, "Yes, well, it's a default in a teenager's brain. Anything your parents say usually goes in one ear and out the other."

 _Parents?_ Sunset blinked.

"Anyway, Sun and I have a plane to catch so let's get out of here." Summer said as Sunset grabbed the two small clear bins and headed out the door.

Sunset thanked her and went to Celestia's SUV to put the bins away.

"What took you two so long?" Celestia asked Summer.

"Oh, nothing dear. Just something I think she needed to hear from a third party." Summer flashed a smug smile.

"I'm not even going to ask." Celestia said, giving Summer a goodbye hug.

"Good because it is none of your business." Summer patted her daughter on the back.

Celestia wanted to say something, Summer could see it in her daughter's eyes, but Celestia kept her mouth shut.

After another round of goodbyes everyone entered their respective vehicles and headed to their destinations.

After about an hour of driving, Celestia looked to Sunset, "Is everything OK? You've barely said a word since we left my parents."

Sunset jerked her head up from her sketchbook, "Yeah, actually I'm great. They were nice."

"Yes, especially since Luna is pretty sure our Mom trusts you more than us." Celestia chuckled.

Sunset smiled but didn't say anything else for a moment, "Thanks."

Celestia glanced at Sunset, "Why are you thanking me."

"No reason in particular. Just, thanks for being there." Sunset said.

After the initial shock, Celestia smiled, "Don't thank me. I'm just glad you are happy and we are lucky you came into our lives."

Sunset scoffed, "More like I'm lucky. Do you know how bad it could have turned out for me if you didn't try with me? If you never wanted to take me in?" Sunset could feel her eyes brimming with tears, "I realized just how lucky _I_ was on Friday during my mental break down. I was completely on my own until that day you talked to me in your office. It took me until then to realize that I couldn't do it on my own. I couldn't do _anything_ if I was always completely on my own. I never knew how much I need. How much I missed." She trailed off.

Celestia chewed her lip, then pulled over, much to Sunset's confusion.

"Why did we stop?" Sunset asked.

Celestia didn't say anything until she typed something on her phone then replaced it on the console. "When we get home, we will unload the cars then Luna and Chrysalis will be going out for a bit. I think we need to have a talk. One that doesn't start with me finding you in your room crying, OK?"

Sunset studied Celestia for any sign that she had said something wrong but all she found was caring eyes.

"OK?" Celestia questioned again.

Sunset nodded, "Alright."

Celestia gave Sunset a quick hug before they continued on home.


	51. Talk It Out

When they all returned home, they unpacked the car. As soon as they finished, Luna and Chrysalis headed out for a while.

Sunset grew more nervous about their 'talk'. _Oh, **please** don't give me 'the talk'. That's what sex Ed is for._

Celestia came back into the living room and sat on the other end of the couch but turned to look at Sunset. She herself was unsure about how to start the conversation, and she couldn't stop thinking about how much easier it was when Celestia was just acting as Sunset's counselor. Now though, it was obvious that's not how they viewed each other now.

"Look, Sunset. I want to know how you really feel in your situation now." Celestia spoke, "I can already see how your demeanor has changed since first coming to live here but I need to hear it from you."

Sunset sighed and remained silent long enough to make silence uncomfortable, "I've needed someone for a long time." She said finally, "Whether or not I could admit it, I knew. Despite popular opinion, I didn't just wake up one day and decide to bully everyone at school. It was gradual."

"Care to elaborate?" Celestia questioned.

She took a long, deep sigh, "I was jealous. Of the other kids I mean. They had something I never _really_ had: a family that saw them for who they were and didn't expect anything of them. I eventually got angry at myself, the princess and my adoptive parents. I felt like I failed them and myself, that I wasn't good enough but also, at them for not standing by me when I needed it. I had literally no control over anything in my life. So, I took control of life at school. Then it turned to revenge and that lead to what happened at the formal."

"I wish I had seen it." Celestia said, "I could have stepped in a lot sooner."

"How?" Sunset questioned, "No one knew about my situation until the formal. You were like everyone else in thinking I had parents and an actual home."

"Yes, but all the times you gave an excuse as to why your parents could not come to the school…" She sighed, "Well, I should have known better."

Sunset leaned back in her seat, "I'm just glad you found out when you did. I wasn't in a good place after the formal and you were there for me the entire time. No matter how difficult I was to reason with."

Celestia laughed, "Yes, I suppose you were but it the end, you seemed to warm up to the idea."

Sunset smiled softly, "That's because I realized how much I need you there. I couldn't have gotten through that on my own, I know that now." She paused for a moment, deciding on what she was going to say next, "You were just my Principal and you helped me so much, even when you found out where I'm really from and what I actually am. Then, you decided to take me in and I didn't know how to feel."

Celestia watched Sunset. She couldn't figure out what she was feeling. Sunset seemed to want to say something but had conflicted feelings about it.

"I can't even begin to tell you how much everything you've done means to me." Sunset continued, "It wasn't until these past few weeks that I realized how much I needed…" She trailed off and bit her lip, unsure of her words.

"A family?" Celestia offered.

Sunset nodded and gave her a small smirk, "Yeah." She glanced at Celestia the averted her eyes, not willing to continue.

Celestia looked at Sunset, studying the younger girl. It seemed that she had something else she wanted to say but wasn't willing to disclose the information; not yet.

Her heart swelled slightly at the small, conflicted frown on her face, _With her background, I doubt she's been able to get attached to someone like she has with Luna and I._ True, it was a sad thought but it seemed to be how Sunset's life had played out up to this point.

They both remained silent for a long while, listening to the clock tick as the seconds passed. Sunset wanted to say it, she really did. She'd wanted to tell Celestia what she really thought of her and every day that feeling grew. It was getting difficult to bear, keeping it locked inside. She'd even let it slip earlier in the month but that was all it was, a slip of the tongue.

Sunset grit her teeth as tears started to roll down her cheeks out of frustration, _I can't._ She gripped her jacket that sat over her heart, _But I want to._

Celestia wanted to say something but she had no idea what to tell her. Sunset looked like she was in actual physical pain over a battle she was having in her head. So, she did the only thing she could think of: she sat silently rubbing circles in her back.

"Sorry." Sunset said, "I just…you…"

Celestia looked curiously at Sunset, "Honey," She said, moving the hair out of Sunset's face, "You don't have to say anything if you're not ready. I'm not going to force you."

"But I need to say this!" Sunset shouted suddenly, "I should have that day we went to the mall and that breakdown I had in my room! It's been the same thing that's been forcing me to evaluate myself over, and over again! I'm trying, I'm really trying to be better but there are things that I might not ever be able to forgive myself for." Tears stung at her eyes, "I constantly tell myself that I'm not good enough and that I still deserve to be punished for what I've done. Some part of me wishes I had died in that hole like the other kids said. At least then…" She took a shaky breath, "At least then everyone could have been happier and gotten on with their lives instead of making me wish that I hadn't."

"Sunset Shimmer." Celestia said sternly. Something about what the younger girl had said struck what only could be described as a 'maternal nerve'. "Don't you _ever_ let me hear you saying that you wished you had die that day. I've told you before, you _do deserve_ to be here and have friends and every other good thing that has and will happen to you. You have worked so hard to make amends." Celestia's eyes softened, "You are growing into such a strong young woman, Sunset. I am grateful that you came into our lives. Sometimes I don't think I deserve _you._ "

Sunset couldn't help but burry her head in Celestia's shoulder. Even Celestia could feel the tears on her face

At that moment, Celestia wanted to say what everyone has been bugging her to say to Sunset but, she didn't know how the young girl would take it.

Sunset bit her lip, _I keep thinking that she might, but she's not the princess, she won't turn her back on me._

The younger girl sat up, looking away from Celestia, "I…In Equestria, I was surrounded by ponies who always expected something of me and/or isolated me. You were the first to try to remove that collar and just wanted me to happy. It's what I had always wished I could have. I was suffocating." A lone tear escaped Sunset's eyes as she brought her knees up to her chest and stared at her feet, "You…you are the closest thing that I ever had to a mom and I couldn't have been more terrified to admit that to you. It's been eating me up all month."

When there was no response, all Sunset felt was fear and dread. Well, that was until she glanced at the older woman and saw tears in her eyes and a pale hand covering her mouth.

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "Celestia, are you OK? I'm sorry."

Celestia snorted a bit at the younger girl's concern, even more so at the fact she thought it was her fault, "You, Sunset, are a wonder beyond the stars."

Sunset's red puffy eyes studied Celestia, then, without thinking, gave her a hug, "I-is it ok that…I see you that way?"

Celestia squeezed her close, "It is _absolutely_ OK, Sunset." She kissed the top of the young girl's head, "But you must know, you have been _my_ child since before you even stepped into this house."

Sitting there on the couch, arms wrapped around the teen's shoulders in silent tears, Celestia could almost feel Sunset's relief and even joy. It was the girl she took in when she was broken and needed a home. The girl who had seemingly changed overnight and came from a world filled with literal magic. She was unbelievably smart and could have a wonderful future ahead of her.

"Do you really think that?" Sunset asked.

"Of course, I do, Sunset." Celestia assured her, "That day of the earthquake, seeing those people dig you out of the rubble, I felt like I had lost a part of myself. It was then I definitively realized you were my child and when I learned that you were going to be OK, I swore to myself to protect you as if I had you myself."

Sunset felt as if she had a weight lifted off her shoulders, "I'm really glad you took a chance on me after the formal. If you hadn't, I would have definitely been put into the system and aged out." She smiled, "I never would have found out what it was like to be a part of a family."

Celestia chuckled, "And I would never have figured out what it was like to be worrying about you all the time."

All tears now long gone, Sunset laughed, "No one said raising a teenager would be easy."

Celestia nodded, "No one ever said it wasn't worth it."

Sunset smiled then let out a sigh, "I feel a lot better than I did an hour ago." Her stomach growled, "I'm also a lot hungrier."

Celestia chuckled and they ordered Chinese food and watched a movie until Luna and Chrysalis returned. The rest of the evening was spent watching movies and talking until Luna and Chrysalis returned.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey!**

 **Well guys, this is it, the last week of chapters for Scars. By Sunday, July 29th, Scars will be fully posted and will be given that big old 'Completed' tag. It's actually really sad but at least I'm working on a sequel. I also have a secret project going so, keep a look out. I will only announce it the day it gets released!**

 **You guys have been awesome and I really hope you will read the sequel when it comes out! Fun fact actually, If the sequel gets as long as I think will, I might need to split it up into two books! A lot of shit will go down!**

 **For the entirety of Finale week, keep an eye on the Author's Notes, there woll be some info regarding upcoming stories.**

 **To** **Teodora Husanu ,**

 **Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. Of COURSE I saw your review, I see all of them.**

 **I really wish I could PM you. I can't believe this is the first fanfiction you ever read! I'm ecstatic! The funny thing is that the THIRD fanfic I ever read was also the first fanfic I ever finished. The author had given it to be because he couldn't finish it. It was a RWBY fan fic called NEW. It needs some work though, I had just been developing my writing style then.**

 **Also if you e-mail me at jwolfsilver gmail .com I can send you the link to my blog if you want. That offer is also open to everyone who reads my stuff. It's an e-mail I created just for my writing stuff.**


	52. Gift Exchange

**Author's Note**

 **HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!**

 **Yep. It's my birthday and...yeah there is probably nothing going on today but I will get some writing done. I'm also not sure how it's a present to me, but 2 chapters will be posted to day in honor of me!**

 **Anyway, I got the full character list for Scars so I can start to get to work on the audio book. Still looking fo a Sunset though...so if you want to try out, check out my casting call! or e-mail me at jwolfsilver .**

 **I also went to pick up my computer yesterday afternoon and, well, my mom wanting to get my computer fixed was all a ruse! She and my step dad had BOUGHT me a new laptop! A gaming one too! It's actually my first brand new computer, the others I've had were all hand me downs. This one means a lot because my family doesn't have a lot of money so I don't even know how they could afford it.**

 **Second chapter will be posted later today!**

 **Teo,**

 **Don't worry about it, I will do a post about the audio book release and the Volume 2 release date when it comes time. Just pay attention to posts after this week.**

 **And I have no animation skills whatsoever but I actually plan to try with the demon scenes.**

* * *

Sunset woke up in the morning with a smile on her face with the feeling that she finally belonged somewhere. Absolutely nothing could ruin her mood.

After getting dressed, Sunset grabbed Pinkie's present off her desk and ran downstairs for breakfast.

Celestia, Chrysalis and Luna stood around the island eating eggs and toast when Sunset walked in and set the brightly wrapped gift on the counter and took her usual spot at the island.

"You still going to Miss Pie's I assume?" Luna asked.

Sunset nodded, "That's the plan. I'm going to be coming back later tonight though."

"You need a ride?"

She shook her head, biting into a slice of toast. "No, Rarity's picking me up in an hour, but I might need a ride home."

Luna grinned, "Just text me when you're ready to be picked up."

Sunset smiled, "Thanks."

After breakfast, Sunset brushed her teeth then carefully placed Pinkie's present in her bag before going into the study where Celestia and Chrysalis were working, the latter was hijacking Luna's desk.

Celestia was the first to notice her entry, "Rarity is going to be here to pick you up soon?"

"In five minutes." Sunset told her. "I just came to tell you I was leaving."

Celestia smiled, "Ok, have fun. Home by one or I'll send Luna whether you call or not."

Sunset did a mock salute, "Yes ma'am!"

Celestia rolled her eyes, "Sunset, I mean it."

The teen chuckled, "I know, I know. I wasn't planning on staying that late anyway."

Celestia nodded, "See you tonight."

Sunset waved as she left, "Alright, see you later."

Once Sunset was gone, Chrysalis could no longer contain her laughter. "Wow that is going to take some getting used to."

Celestia smirked, "You and me both."

"At least you didn't have to worry about the diapers or the 'terrible twos'."

Celestia sighed, "She only admitted she thought of me as a mom and I thought of her as a daughter. You're acting as if it was already official

"In time, Tia. I 'm just doing the papers now so it's all good to go when you do ask her." She said, "But you would never believe who did Sunset's papers for her."

"Who?"

"Sunset! Rarity!" Pinkie cheered, giving them both a hug, "It feels like forever since we last hung out!"

"It's only been a week, Pinkie." Rainbow yelled from the living room.

"Yes," Pinkie said loudly, "But I still _really_ missed you guys!"

"We are happy to see you too." Rarity said with a smile.

They walked into the living room where everyone else had already arrived.

"Hey, Sunset," Rainbow said, "Didn't you go to Celestia's parents for Christmas?"

Sunset nodded, "Yeah, it was actually better than I expected."

"What are they like?" Applejack asked.

"You guys just want to know more about the Principals' outside of school." Sunset said suspiciously.

"Can you _really_ blame us?" Rainbow questioned.

Sunset smiled, "Not really. To tell you the truth, you kind of forget they are old enough to be my grandparents. Their dad is a complete computer and videogame nerd and their mom is a comic book geek and an amazing artist. She even gave me two bins of comics."

"I was expecting them to be strict, military old people." Rainbow said, "Like Vice-Principal Luna."

Sunset couldn't help but laugh at what Rainbow had insinuated, "You guys really need to come over one day. They are almost the exact opposite of how they are at school. On Christmas morning, Luna jumped on top of me to wake me up."

Everyone went slack-jawed.

"Seriously, they are completely normal people." Sunset paused, "Well, except Luna, she's just crazy."

"I need to see it to believe it." Rainbow said skeptically.

"Yes, it's hard to believe." Rarity nodded.

"What's Principal Celestia like?" Fluttershy asked, "She seemed really caring and motherly when you were in the hospital."

Sunset smiled, "Yeah, pretty much. I mean, she can be pretty dorky too but you can tell when she cares."

"Ok, enough gushy talk." Rainbow said, "Let's open our presents!"

Rarity, Sunset and Applejack rolled their eyes at her but sat down in a circle on the floor.

"Ok people!" Pinkie said, "Remember, you can't say who got who their gift. It will remain a secret unless they figure it out themselves!"

Starting with Rarity on Sunset's left, they went around in a clockwise circle, each girl opening their presents one at a time.

"My turn, my turn!" Pinkie said excitedly after Rainbow opened her new basketball.

Pinkie ripped open the paper, revealing a bright purple frame with hers and Maud's names painted on it. Inside was the drawing of Pinkie sitting next to Maud. Pinkie had an arm wrapped around her sister and Maud held Boulder with her free hand.

"Wow! This is amazing!" Pinkie said with the world's biggest smile on her face.

She turned the frame around for everyone to see.

"Is that a drawing?" Rarity asked.

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically, then handed the picture to the accented girl.

"The detail on this is remarkable." Rarity marveled, passing it around the circle.

Everyone nodded in agreement, even Sunset who didn't want anyone else to know that he was the one who drew it. The look on Pinkie's face was enough.

After Fluttershy opened her new brushes for the animals at the shelter, it was Sunset's turn as she was the last one in the group.

"Now, your gift is a little different, dear." Rarity said, "Fluttershy was your secret Santa but after talking to Vice-Principal Luna, we decided to all pitch in and get you something together."

Sunset raised her eyebrow, "You guys didn't really have to do that."

Fluttershy smiled, "We wanted to." She handed a box to Sunset and gestured her to open it.

Sunset peeled open the paper and her heart stopped, "Guys, you _really_ didn't have to do this."

"We know you used to do almost all your school work on your laptop but it got broken during the earthquake." Pinkie said.

"We asked V.P. Luna what we could get you and after we told her that the price didn't matter, we _may_ have gotten it out of her." Rainbow grinned.

"We even got a good deal on it." Applejack stated, "Turns out my Uncle Orange owns an electronics store so we got it half price."

Sunset smiled, "Thank you all so much. It means a lot."

"Yeah, yeah, just don't leave it in and old building before an earthquake, OK?" Rainbow said.

Sunset laughed, fist bumping Rainbow. "Deal."

After they all cleaned up, they just sat around, hanging out.

"Sunset?" Fluttershy asked so only Sunset could hear.

"What's up Shy?" Sunset asked.

"I just wanted to say that you are a very good artist. That picture you drew was amazing." She commented.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She smirked with a wink.

Fluttershy giggled, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Yeah, well, it's hard not to when you are surrounded by amazing people." Sunset smiled, "Speaking of which, what's up with you and Rainbow Dash?"

Fluttershy's face turned red, "I-I don't…I mean…well."

Sunset laughed, "It's alright, I won't tell. I'm pretty sure one of you will ask the other out at some point."

"How can you be so sure?" Fluttershy asked.

"Because I know how to read other people." Sunset smiled.

"Oh, I see." Fluttershy nodded in thought, "W-what would you do?"

"Just go and ask her out for coffee or something." Sunset said, "It can't hurt to try."

Fluttershy shook her head "I couldn't do that. Not in front of all our friends."

"I didn't mean right now." Sunset said, "I meant when you are ready for that step."

Fluttershy nodded, "Thank you."

Sunset smiled, "Any time."

The rest of the night was pretty relaxed and, eventually Sunset began to get tired and texted Luna.

"How was your night?" Luna asked as she got in the car.

"It was great!" She said excitedly. "Did you know about this?" Sunset asked, holding up the computer box.

"Maybe." Luna smirked.

Sunset grinned, "You are scary good with secrets."

She shrugged, "I try. Though, I doubt _that_ was the best Christmas present you got."

Sunset chucked, "Yeah, but I don't think anything will ever be able to even come close to having a family."

"Wait until you meet the person you want to marry." Luna said.

"Speaking of," Sunset said, "What are you going to do about Chrys?"

Luna sighed, "Nothing right now, obviously. Eventually, maybe. Now can we drop the subject."

Sunset backed off and they went on to talk about other things. It was then decided that they would spend the rest of the vacation binge watching Marvel until they get all caught up.


	53. Threat

**Author's Note** **Second chapter in honor of me! Wow that sounded way more egotistical than in my head.** **Also, I have a schedual now! Like a litteral whiteboard that has 2 weeks of schedual sp I can balance writing AND work. Meaning that crap will actually get done! Really excited for Tears! I just got my binder filed for writing! I got my outlines, character profiles and, I think a friend of mine is going to Sunset for the audio book! Things are coming around!**

After an amazing holiday, everyone had to go back to school. The worst part was that everyone still hated Sunset. The only difference now though, was that she just didn't care.

The first and second weeks back were filled with exam prep and band practice. The musical showcase was set to begin the day after finals ended as a reprieve from the tests.

Soon, exams came to a close and Sunset talked to her boss who told her she would start back up in two weeks.

"I think showing the new student's around the school tomorrow is a great idea, Sunset!" Celestia said.

"Yeah, well, I don't really want their first impression of me be some rumor or story about the old me." Sunset explained.

"I do have some good news." Celestia smiled, and walked around her desk, "I _finally_ got the city to let us use the stage for the event."

Sunset jumped up excitedly and hugged the older woman. "That's great! You've been trying to convince them for weeks."

"Did you ever talk to your friends about being in the band?" Celestia asked

Sunset frowned and shook her head, "Not yet, but I will after the showcase. Lately, everyone has been really on edge _because_ of the band. They seem to be arguing a lot. AJ's on about Rarity's costumes, Rainbow is hogging the spotlight _and_ no one seems to acknowledge Fluttershy. She's written some great songs but Rainbow always pushes them to the side."

"Why don't you say anything?" Celestia asked.

Sunset shrugged, "I don't think it's my place. I'm still really new to the group."

"Well," Celestia said, "I trust that you will do the right thing in the end."

Sunset smiled, "Thanks."

Celestia sighed, "One more thing before you go meet your friends." Sunset gave Celestia her attention, "I'm sorry for the mention of the formal in the gym earlier."

Sunset frowned for a moment then smiled, "It's fine. I Honestly, don't care anymore. People can only do something for so long before it gets old."

"Alright then. Vice-Principal Luna will call you down when the girls get here."

Sunset waved to Celestia then went to find her friends in the band room

After the tour, Sunset was feeling uneasy. The girls she showed around, Adagio, Aria and Sonata, seemed…off for some reason. Sunset could sense an energy surrounding them that she couldn't seem to place.

So, she went to the cafeteria to talk to her friends about it but even they didn't seem to get what was going on. That was, until, the three new girls came into the cafeteria, singing a song about turning the showcase into a battle of the bands.

 _What's going on?_ Sunset questioned, _I can feel magic but…that's impossible._

She continued to watch and noticed a green mist coming off of the students as they all started to argue.

 _Something's wrong, these girls are **not** from here._

"Oh," Pinkie said, "They're _that_ kind of off."

Sunset bit her lip, "We need to talk to Principal Celestia. I get the feeling we can't let this turn into a battle of the bands."

"I have to agree." Said Rarity.

"Let's go." Sunset directed and followed her friends out of the cafeteria.

"Those three have to be in possession of some kind of dark magic." Sunset said as they walked to the Principal's office, "How else would you explain what happened back there?"

"Don't worry Sunset." Applejack spoke, "As soon as we tell Principal Celestia about what's been happening, those girls will be kicked to the curb in no time." She went on, "Besides, last thing she needs is another event to almost be ruined by some power crazed lunatic." Froze, "No offence."

"None taken." Sunset sighed.

That had been happening a lot since the break. It seems that, even if the girls were over the fall formal thing, it was still a rough spot for Sunset. However, the more her friends brought it up, the more Sunset knew she would never get away from it. It wasn't something she could fix and she had to live with. All Sunset kept doing was constantly reminding herself of all the good that came after.

Finally, the six girls reached the office. Sunset requested to speak with Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna but there was something of about Secretary Raven. She rolled her eyes and grumbled about the request despite the fact that the woman was always kind and one of the few faculty members who knew of Sunset's situation with Celestia and Luna.

Only a few moments later, the group of girls were called into Celestia's office where both administrators were positioned behind the desk.

As soon as Sunset saw them, she could tell something wasn't right with them. Even in what Sunset called 'admin mode', Celestia never had a cold, hard stare as she did in that moment. Luna…well, usually looked like that at school. However, Sunset felt an odd energy coming off of them and it almost made her afraid to speak.

"What brings you here today girls?" Celestia asked in a monotoned voice that sent up even more red flags in Sunset's head.

"We can't let the battle of the bands happen." Rainbow Dash said.

Luna raised a brow, "And why not?"

"The three new girls," Sunset said, "I think they are in possession of a dark magic."

"Dark magic?" Celestia said in a suspicious tone, "I find that very hard to believe. Those girls came into my office earlier and were absolutely delightful."

"Perhaps, Sunset Shimmer is just eager to make someone else out to be a bad element." Luna inquired, "So her actions at the fall formal would be old news."

Sunset physically felt the pain of Luna's statement. It wasn't like her and Sunset knew it.

"I can see why you might think that but-"

"That's _not_ what's happening." Rainbow cut Sunset off, "We saw this all go down in the cafeteria."

Celestia looked at her quizzically, "Yes, but isn't your band supposed to be part of the showcase."

Sunset stopped listening much after that. However, just before the girls left the office, Sunset saw a green haze flash in Luna and Celestia's eyes. _They're not themselves._ Sunset said, trying to keep her composure. Sunset knew, they wouldn't be getting any help from them until this was over.

The girls all gathered in front of the statue after school, Sunset had texted Celestia earlier, telling her that she would walk home later. The only response was a time Celestia wanted her home.

 _OK._ Sunset thought, _I am guessing the friendship magic in the girls and my Equestrian lineage is the thing protecting us from their spell. It seems to make everyone turn against one another._ She clenched her fists, _and it controls other people. By the looks of it, it's their voices that trigger this dark magic._ She groaned, _Ugh, I've been here too long, I know I'm missing something. I wish there was a way we could reach Twilight._

Sunset wracked her brain, trying to think of a solution or _something_ that could help.

"Wait a minute." She said out loud, "I think I have a way to get a message to Twilight!"

Sunset dashed into the school, closely followed by her friends as they made their way to Sunset's locker. She dug through some old junk she'd brought from Equestria until she found what she was looking for.

It was a big, leather bound book with her cutie mark on the cover.

"I just hope it still works." She said, more to herself than to the group.

Rarity gave her a concerned look, "That's a book, darling. What do you mean, 'still works'?"

Sunset swept off the dust and some left-over debris, "It's magic. It used to be that if I write something in here, it would appear in another book in Princess Celestia's library. Maybe she could get a message to Twilight?"

Rainbow took out a pen and handed it to Sunset, "What are you waiting for? Get to writing."

Her friends left her to write her message but Sunset was nervous to write to the princess again. It's been six years since she'd fled Equestria and only four months since she'd committed treason. What if Princess Celestia didn't pass on the message thinking it was a trap? What if _she_ came instead?

Sunset shivered, _Relax Sunset, just explain the situation. I'm sure this will work._

With those last words, Sunset wrote her plea for help.

When she was done, she walked back out to the portal where her friends sat waiting.

"Did you do it?" Rainbow asked when she saw her.

Sunset nodded, "It's getting pretty late so I doubt she'd come tonight. Besides, it might take a while to get the portal working."

"How about we meet here tomorrow mornin'." Applejack suggested, "We have the day off anyway so we can watch the portal."

"Just a quick question, Darling." Rarity inquired, "What if Twilight _doesn't_ come

Sunset sighed, "Then I guess we're on our own."


	54. Anger

When Sunset got home, she went to find Celestia, hoping to talk some sense into her.

"Uh, Celestia?" Sunset said as she entered the study.

The older woman sighed, "What is it, Sunset?"

Sunset could tell by the tone of her voice that the new girls still had her under their spell but she was still determined to try. "I really don't think a battle of the bands is a good idea. I get the sneaking suspicion that they are going to do something bad."

"Sunset," Celestia said sternly, "We've been over this. Stop trying to throw those girls into a bad light because _you_ want to shine it off of yourself."

Now _that_ stung. Sunset could feel her anger bubbling up to the surface. Not so much at Celestia but at the three girls controlling her.

"That's not what, I'm doing." Sunset pleaded, "You know that I wouldn't do that."

"Be that as it may, you can see why I would think that." Celestia said.

"Can't you see what's happening?" Sunset raised her voice.

Celestia narrowed her eyes, "As you can see, I am far too busy for this. Go to your room and stop bothering me with these ridiculous theories of yours."

Sunset felt the tears in her eyes, "Wake up!" Sunset yelled, "You're being controlled!"

Celestia clenched her jaw, "Room. Now."

Sunset balled her fists and stormed out of the study and up to her room. Celestia was definitely under a spell and she knew now that there was no point in trying Luna. She fought to keep the tears from coming but it was no use. Despite knowing that once they figured out how to stop the new girls, the spell would break and she'd have her family back to normal. If not…

Sunset felt her phone buzz in her pocket so, she took it out to see who had texted her.

 **Rarity: How are things at home?**

Sunset smiled, _at least I'm not completely alone._

 **SS: Not Right.**

A few seconds later, she received a reply.

 **Rarity: U want to sleep over at mine?**

 **SS: don't know if she'll let me**

 **Rarity: be there after work. 1 hour.**

Sunset smiled at the fact Rarity wasn't actually asking.

 **SS: Ok**

Sunset shoved some clothes and a phone charger in her bag, then sat on her bed with her guitar.

As she was playing, she felt an energy flow through her, one that felt oddly familiar. It took a few more seconds before she saw the orange glow around her hands and stopped playing.

 _Not again._ Sunset panicked, _I don't want it. I can't be trusted._

It had become a regular occurrence since they'd gotten home after visiting Sun and Summer at Christmas. At first, it was faint and never got above a dull roar in her head. However, the feeling of magic flowing through her only grew stronger and it wasn't long before she could only make it through less than half of a song before having to stop in fear of the magic inside her.

Instead, Sunset took out her sketch book and drew until Rarity texted her that she was on her way.

Sunset grabbed her things and came out of her room only to hear yelling from the kitchen. She slipped back into her room, not wanting to be seen by the other two residents in the house. Looking around her room for and escape, she remembered that her window was right above the attached garage. So, Sunset opened the side of her window with no screen and slipped out, sliding it closed behind her.

She was silently grateful that the snow on the garage roof had mostly melted so she didn't have to worry about slipping. Sunset walked carefully over to the wooden frame meant to helpd climbing vines and used it to climb down safely and hopped into Rarity's car.

"The roof?" Rarity questioned.

"They are fighting down stairs, I didn't want to risk them seeing me." Sunset explained then got out her phone

"Who are you texting, dear?" Rarity asked.

"Celestia."

"Isn't the point of sneaking out, not telling her?"

"I know, but I don't want her to yell at me later for not knowing where I was." Sunset admitted

"I'm sorry dear." Rarity said, "It will work itself out eventually."

"I know but I don't like seeing them like that." Sunset said, "It's not them and I hate it."

"I can't say I _completely_ understand what you're going through but Sweetie had been affected as well." Rarity said, "I'm Just glad she and Applebloom are at Scootaloo's for a sleepover. I can't imagine it being everyone one in my house."

"Yeah, it doesn't make it a place you want to be." Sunset said, "Thanks for saving me by the way."

Rarity pulled in her driveway and turned to Sunset with a smile, "You're so very welcome. If you ever need to get away, you needn't hesitate to give me a call."

Sunset smiled and the girls headed inside.

The evening was spent with Rarity showing Sunset her designs for the showcase and sitting in Rarity's room watching movies before they went to sleep.

Sunset opened her eyes and sat up. She was completely surrounded by a familiar darkness she thought had left her mind a month ago. This time however, Sunset felt no fear, only a strange sense of calm.

"I know you're here." Sunset said, "Where are you?"

She then heard the unmistakable sound of wings before her demon landed in front of her.

"Long time no see." She said with a grin, "How have you been?"

"You're in my head, you know very well how I've been." Sunset growled.

"Yes, but those girls seem to have taken away your family." She said.

"My friends will stop them." She said, "Just like they stopped us."

The demon's grin faded to an expression Sunset didn't expect, concern, "You're not going to try?"

"I don't have magic." Sunset said, "I can't."

The demon got right in Sunset's face, "You and I both know that's not true. You're just pushing it away because you're scared."

Sunset didn't know why, but she felt the urge to tell the truth, "Of course I'm scared. You showed me more times than I could count what we're capable of!"

"They won't win on their own." The demon said simply, "They need _you_."

Sunset scoffed, "I'm not listening to this."

"Suit yourself."

Sunset then began to fall into the abyss. Eventually, she landed with a hard _thump!_

She stood up to see that she was on the stage they were going to use for the showcase, her back to the crowd. Only a few feet in front of her, were the three girls, Adagio, Aria and Sonata with triumphant grins on their faces. Off to the side of the stage, was a crumpled pile of her friends, including Twilight and Spike.

It was quiet though. Too quiet.

Sunset turned around to face the crowd. She gasped at what she saw in front of her. Everyone's pupils were constricted with blank looks on their faces, including Celestia and Luna. Sunset remembered that look, she'd given it to students of Canterlot High months prior. It was the way people looked when they were under mind control.

 _"They will fail."_ Her demon's voice hung in the air, _"You need to accept it and let go of the past."_

"Why would you help me?!" Sunset yelled angrily into the air.

 _"Because I am a part of you."_ The demon said, _"Like I said months ago. Save them!_

A blinding ball of yellow light came crashing down, enveloping the entire scene.

Sunset opened her eyes and sat up. She was in Rarity's room, the purple haired girl still sleeping next to her.

 _It was just a dream._ Sunset thought, _Everything's fine. The girls will solve this then everything will go back to normal._

She knew she wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep so, she quietly grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom to get changed.

 _I really hope Twilight can get here. I'm not sure how to fix this._

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 _O_ **OOOOHHHHHH, we are getting SOOOOO close. And yeah, poor Sunset. She's been through so much!**

 **Also, for this story, I have exact dates in which chapters take place so then I could keep a solid time line. If you want to see them, let me know!**

 **Also, thanks for all the birthday wishes! You guys are awesome! I had a pretty good birthday yesterday with my family. Now I'm just going to go hang out with my best friend (Screen name: Dragon M Rose. Yes, I totally helped him with it.) tomorrow in the park and we are going to draw stuff then maybe go see Ant-Man and the Wasp.**

 **I really am looking forward to releasing 'Tears of Sunlight' and my other project! Tears will _defiantly_ come first. but the other one will be released sometime While Tears is being posted**

 **See you all tomorrow!**


	55. Enter: Twilight Sparkle

Sunset was almost thankful when Celestia texted her to let her know they had to take care of some last-minute details for the battle of the bands party later in the afternoon. It just meant Sunset wouldn't have to deal with her hypnotized caregivers for at least a few hours.

The girls sat in front of the statue as they had been for hours, taking turns running out for food, drinks and some sort of entertainment. Sunset however, read through her old messages to Princess Celestia. With each page, the regret weighed heavy in her chest. She had no intention of moving back to Equestria any time soon but she hated how she had come to leave it. Sunset would do anything to apologize to her old mentor.

"I'm starting to think she's not coming." Rainbow said.

As if on cue, Sunset could feel a shift in energy and, before she could react, none other than Twilight Sparkle flew from the portal, closely followed by Spike.

Sunset was the first to react, immediately going over to help the newly turned human to her feet. It was awkward at first as Twilight eyed her suspiciously. Sunset couldn't really blame her but it still stung a bit.

She flashed Twilight a smile and, eventually, the Princess returned it and took her hand. It was then that her friends bounded towards them and Sunset stepped out of the way, not really feeling comfortable hugging the purple girl. She and Twilight were more acquaintances than friends.

"I have some bad news about those new girls." Twilight said.

"I was afraid you would say that." Fluttershy said, cowering behind Rainbow.

"Sunset was right." Twilight explained, "They are definitely creatures from Equestria."

"Are they ponies like you?" Applejack asked.

Twilight shook her head, "They are creatures known as the Sirens. They feed off negative emotions to retain their dark magic. Their voices trigger negative emotions. That's why everyone began fighting with each other."

Rarity nodded, "That explains why Applejack and I have had problems with our sisters and Sunset with Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna."

"Exactly!" Twilight said then gave them a confused look, "What does Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna have to do with Sunset? Are you in trouble?"

Sunset waved it off, "No, it's just a long story and not really important right now."

"Yeah! We need a game plan." Rainbow said.

"Let's go to Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie suggested, "We can relax and catch up!"

The girls collectively agreed and opted to walk there to save gas. Besides, they were happy that all the snow melted and wanted to revel in the cool breeze.

Sunset tried to get out of it to go home but Rarity and Fluttershy wouldn't let her, not wanting her to be alone, especially if Luna and Celestia came back while she was there. So, Sunset stayed at the back of the group, now feeling awkward around Twilight and overall, a lot like an outsider.

Spike stayed between Rarity and Fluttershy, occasionally looking back at Sunset.

At Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie paid for the drinks and they discussed the game plan. Twilight had decided that the party later that night would be the best place to take care of the Sirens.

Sunset was relieved that all this would be over soon. However, her demon's words still echoed in her mind, _'They will fail. They need you.'_ Sunset shook her head, _No, they don't need me. They've got this._

At the party, Sunset actively avoided Celestia and Luna, sticking close to her friends and the snack table. Everyone outside of the seven girls were arguing with each other.

Then, the three Sirens entered the gym.

When Sunset saw the smug grins on their faces, she felt a whirlwind of anger and disgust. It was like looking into a mirror over four months ago. However, it was time for the girls to move in and stop whatever it was they were planning.

That's when everything fell apart. When Twilight and the girls joined hands in an effort to take them down nothing happened. The Sirens played it off, turning the school against the people trying to help.

Sunset went to the door and waved her friends over and lead them out to the school yard. They all slumped onto the steps save for Twilight who paced in front of them, rambling off about how their magic didn't work.

Eventually, Twilight's rambling made it full circle and it was clear that if they let her continue, she would have a panic attack.

"Twilight, stop. Just, stop." Sunset said, "Take a breath and think. To defeat me, you drew magic from the crown _I_ was wearing. You used the same magic. What if you used their magic against _them_?" It was then Sunset lost her courage and slouched, "Or, not."

"No, I think you're onto something." Twilight said.

Sunset couldn't help but smile, "Really?"

Twilight nodded, "It's through music that you transform now, right? Maybe we can use a musical counter spell to defeat them!" She grew more and more excited as she continued.

"The band competition." Rarity said in realization, "It's the next time we can be sure everyone will be in the same place at the same time."

"I guess the Rainbooms _are_ the band to beat." Applejack said.

Rarity smiled, "And I think you, Twilight, just became our newest member."

Everyone cheered and ran up to give Twilight an excited hug.

Sunset frowned, _I guess no one would want to watch them if I was up there anyway._ She sighed, _Besides, I can't be trusted with magic and I can't get through half a song before I start to glow._

It was decided that Twilight would temporarily be the lead singer and she would work on the counter spell. When she started heading into the school, Pinkie immediately protested, calling for an emergency slumber party.

They all loaded into Pinkie and Rarity's vehicles, Sunset, Rarity and Fluttershy in one vehicle and the rest in Pinkie's.

As they were driving, Rarity frowned, "Why didn't you want to tell Twilight about your living situation?"

"It's not that I didn't want to tell her, it's just…weird." Sunset said, "Twilight and I are acquaintances at best. I don't see how she would care about where I'm living."

"Of course, she cares." Fluttershy said, "On our way back to the school, she asked Rarity if you were safe."

Sunset shrugged, "I don't know, I just. Last time she was here, it was because I committed _treason_. Trying to kill her isn't exactly the start to a great relationship."

"We know that wasn't you, Sunset." Rarity said, "And Principal Celestia confirmed that Twilight knows that too."

Sunset sighed, "I guess." She began to think about the counter spell, "Hey, Fluttershy?"

"What is it?" Fluttershy questioned.

After a second thought, Sunset shook her head, "Never mind."

A few moments later, they pulled into Pinkie's driveway and Sunset sent a text off to Celestia then, sent one off to Chrys, explaining the situation and hoping she could help if things got worse.

The girls filed into Pinkie's house and, since it was already getting late, they immediately changed into pajamas. Fluttershy lent Twilight her note book and the purple girl immediately got to work on the counter spell.

 _What if it wasn't the spell that's important?_ Sunset thought, watching Twilight struggle with her work.

"Sunset?" Rarity asked.

Sunset shifted her attention to her friend, "What's up?"

"Why don't you call Chrysalis?" she suggested, "I know she's their friend and you need to talk to someone about what you're not telling us."

It's true. Sunset had yet to tell her friends about her pending adoption but it was because of things like Sirens that stopped her. There was always _something._

"I texted her." Sunset said, "But I think she'll be in the same boat as me."

"Pizza's here!" Pinkie yelled as the doorbell rang.

Without another word, the girls ran down stairs for Pizza.

Later in the night, everyone was relaxing, watching a movie in the living room when Sunset felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up and was almost surprised to see Twilight looking down at her.

"Twilight?" She whispered, "What's up?"

She rubbed her neck nervously, "Do you mind if we talk for a minute?"

Sunset furrowed her brows but nodded, following her into the hallway.

"You're not going to yell at me, are you?" Sunset asked, only half joking.

"What?" Twilight exclaimed, "No! I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Oh." Sunset chewed her lip, "The last couple days haven't been all that great but, everything's fine, yeah."

"No lasting effects of the magic we hit you with?" Twilight asked.

"Other than a well needed attitude adjustment, not really." She smirked slightly, leaving out the scars on her back "I had nightmares for the first month or so, but they're pretty much gone now."

"That's actually great to hear." Twilight sighed in relief, "I hated leaving so soon after that, I was worried about you."

 _She was worried?_

"Really, I'm fine." Sunset assured her, "Everything worked itself out."

Twilight giggled as Rarity entered the hallway, "It's good to see you didn't die or anything."

Sunset paled and Rarity froze in her path to the bathroom.

"That was a joke." Twilight said after seeing her reaction, thinking her joke didn't quite get across.

Sunset absently traced the scar at the side of her head.

"What?" Twilight said.

"Technicalities dear." Rarity said.

Sunset sighed, "Well, there was this…incident a couple months ago and we're all still a little touchy about it."

"Incident is putting it lightly." Rarity said.

"What happened?" Twilight asked in a concerned tone.

"There was this huge earthquake a couple months ago." Sunset explained, "And the building I was living in was really old. It kind a…collapsed."

"Yes, with Sunset still inside." Rarity said, "She legally died."

"Twice." Sunset concluded.

"You died!" Twilight almost yelled.

"Technically." Sunset corrected, "I'm fine though. I got lucky. Full recovery, I only have a couple scars on my leg and right here." She pointed to her head, "Still a touchy subject."

"And _don't_ bring it up to Vice-Principal Luna or Principal Celestia." Rarity said.

"You mentioned them before." Twilight said, natural curiosity showing, she turned to Sunset, "What happened between all of you?"

Sunset went on to explain what had happened to her since she left, Rarity filling in the blanks as she went. When they were done, Twilight had a face that was an ugly concoction of relief, amazement, shock and everything in between.

"That's amazing." Twilight said, "It's something you only read about in books."

Sunset chuckled, "Yeah I've thought the same thing."

Without any warning, Sunset was tackled with a hug from Twilight.

"I'm really happy for you." Twilight said after pulling away, "And I promise, we'll get them back."

That night, after another heart to heart with Twilight in the kitchen, Sunset was paid another visit by her demon.

"Why did you try to help me?" Sunset asked, "Honestly."

"I'm a part of you." The demon said, "I am just your feelings, senses, everything, amplified. I know what you think, deep down, when you can't see it. I'm you. You're me. We will always want the same thing. You know what they need. You know it has nothing to do with _what_ song they sing but they haven't figured it out yet."

Sunset just stared at her demon.

"I know that you are scared of magic because of what it turned you into." It said.

Sunset clenched her jaw, "So you're even more terrified than I am."

"That may be, but are you willing to lose your family because of your childish fear?"

"I'm a risk to my friends and family." Sunset said stubbornly.

"You will have to make the choice." Was the last thing the demon said before she was graced with that same, nightmare scene from the previous night.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Just had an awesome day with my best friend and since I just got back (1 am) I guess it's time for another chapter!**

 **A lot of you, through the duration of this story have been asking me 'Are you going to do Anon-A-Miss?'. Well, I am now going to answer that question.**

 **The answer to that is no. I am, however going to explain why. For one, the building drop was what i replaced Anon with back in chapter 26. I honestly don't think Sunset deserved to go through that after the building issue. I honestly don't think that after everything that happened, the girls would turn on Sunset. They defended her to Trixie when Sunset was in a coma, Rainbow was prepared to fight Gilda for her and after the Battle of the bands, it doesn't make much sense for everyone to turn on her again. That is my logical reasoning.**

 **My personal reasoning is that I just don't like or even get it. You see how torn up Sunset was, how she took being hated again, logically SOMEONE would figure out that she didn't do it. Especially if she was that hurt by being hated and pushed away by her friends, why, if she did do it, would she keep posting? No one would. It WAS Sunset who did it, she would have looked a lot more confidant and a lot less hurt by the whole situation. I'm sorry but, I think that Anon-A-Miss, in the end, would hurt Sunset a lot more than anyone else in CHS. But that's just my personal opinion on it.**

 **See ya tomorrow!**


	56. First Rounds

**Author's Note**

 **Teo,**

 **No the ship is NOT temporary. You also have to remember that there is another volume to this. I can't really deal so many points in the plot at once.**

 **OOOOOOOHHHH! Only 3 chapters left!**

 **It's funny, I get home from work at 1 in the morning so I can post this chapter before I go to sleep!**

 **So, I get the programs I need to start the audio book tomorrow and I will work on the scripts for the weekend and, if i'm lucky, half of them will be done and I can start getting the recordings. I am going to ATTEMPT to animate Sunset's dreams BUT don't hold be to that. It might turn out crappy and i scrap it.**

 **Also, just a heads up, I will post an extra chapter with dates when the second volume will begin posting and when the Audio book starts!**

 **See you guys tomorrow!**

* * *

Sunset sat by the amp with Spike as the band tried to play the counter spell for the sixth time.

"They aren't getting any better, are they?" Spike said, holding his paws over his ears.

Sunset shook her head, turning a dial on the amp as a high-pitched sound came over it, "Even I can tell this isn't going to work."

Sunset watched them closer, and saw each of them, save for Fluttershy and Twilight, shooting another member some kind of dirty look.

 _It's not the music that's terrible._ Sunset thought, _Well, actually it is, but their whole dynamic is less than friendly. None of them seem to be enjoying themselves._

When the song was done, Spike spoke nervously, "That was way better than the last…five…times you played it."

"Nope." Big Mac said as he passed the barn.

"I think it's pretty obvious what's going wrong with this counter spell." Rainbow started.

"You're turnin' what should be the chorus into a five-minute guitar solo?" Applejack said in a disapproving tone.

"Well I've got to pick up the slack _somehow._ " Rainbow replied.

 _No, they need to stop arguing. This is wrong, and quite frankly, stupid._ Sunset thought before glancing at her phone, seeing the time.

"Guys!" Sunset said, getting up, "You don't have time for this. You're supposed to check in at the battle of the bands in fifteen minutes!"

They all exchanged glances before everyone started to rush around, grabbing their equipment and putting it in the back of Big Mac's truck. Twilight started to panic, knowing the counter spell probably won't work.

So, they were going to have compete and, hopefully, stay in until the finals so the girls could unleash the counter spell.

The first round was an absolute train wreck for the Rainbooms. Rarity wore a really flashy outfit that Sunset thought suited the girl. However, the competition turned dirty as someone attempted to sabotage them using magnets and playing with a stage light.

It irritated Sunset because it was so obvious what was happening but Celestia and Luna didn't seem to notice, or even care. They even enthusiastically _clapped_ afterwards.

Sunset was angry, so, after she sent the girls to find someplace to practice, she decided to go find the sirens.

Sunset waited by the gym's entrance and, within moments, the sirens rounded the corner with their irritatingly smug expressions.

"You won't get away with this." Sunset warned.

Adagio grinned, "Why? Because _you_ didn't?" She came closer, "Oh, we know all about you Sunset Shimmer. You've got quite the reputation at Canterlot High."

Sunset clenched her jaw, "I've changed. I'm in a much better place now."

Aria circled her, "Waiting in the wings while your friends have all the fun?"

"Yes," Adagio said as her and Aria continued to circle Sunset, "you girls are _so_ tight, and yet, they didn't ask _you_ to be in the band."

"Probably too afraid no one would want to see them play if _she_ was in the group." Aria said.

"Too bad." Sonata said in a childish tone, "So sad."

"If it's any consolation," Adagio said, "No one is going to remember you at all after we're done."

The sirens bumped past Sunset who ground her teeth, _I hate them_. She thought, _I hope the girls make it to the finals._

Thankfully, the girls made it through most of their rounds with next to no incidents. All the while, Spike and Sunset watched from the side lines.

Now, it was time for the semifinals and, Sunset and Spike both noticed Twilight was getting more and more distracted and stressed about the counter spell that she didn't even notice the tension in the air.

Sunset frowned when Rainbow blew off Fluttershy's song, knowing it took a lot of courage for her to just ask in the first place. The most unsettling part was the annoyed, almost angry, look she shot Rainbow when the latter girl's back was turned. This concerned Sunset as she knew how Fluttershy felt about Rainbow and was pretty sure those feelings were reciprocated.

However, she couldn't bring herself to speak up. It wasn't her place. Besides, she was more concerned about Luna and Celestia. She knew that if they didn't make it to the final round, if the counter spell didn't work, she was going to be alone again and that was probably more terrifying to her than the sirens themselves.

The girls went to take the stage after 'Trixie and the Illusions' left the stage. It was then that Sunset got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"What's wrong, Sunset?" Spike asked.

She bit her lip when her gaze fell on Rainbow, knowing full well that the song they were about to sing embodied her ego.

She shook it off, "Nothing, I'm just hoping they get through this."

"Me too." He said, "But I'm worried. You and I both know the spell isn't even remotely ready."

The girls started playing and, of course it was Rainbow showing off and the others didn't seem happy about it.

Sunset watched them intently from the side of the stage, "I know but I know she can do it." She spared a glance to Celestia and Luna, "She has to."

"You'll get your family back, Sunset." He tried to assure her, "You've come a long way since you took Twilight's crown. You got this."

Sunset didn't hear the majority of Spikes words as her gaze zeroed in on Rainbow Dash. At first, she thought it was her imagination but then after a couple more verses, Sunset could definitely see the magic coming off of Rainbow.

"No." she said in a hushed whisper.

 _She can't pony up! Not now! Think, Sunset, you have to stop this._

Sadly, the first thing that came to mind was to tackle Rainbow Dash.

The music abruptly ended and the lights were turned on. The room was so silent, you could hear a pin drop.

That was, until Flash yelled, "There's the bad girl we love to hate!"

It was followed by various other insults as her and her friends walked off stage.

"What was that?" Rainbow asked when they were off stage.

"You were showing them your magic," Sunset defended, "I didn't know what else to do."

"Close the curtain?" Rarity asked angerly, "Give _us_ the chance to deal with the situation?"

Sunset felt the shame build up in her throat, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to help."

"Yeah well you didn't." Rainbow said.

That's when Applejack decided to step in and put a finger to Rainbow's chest, "None of this would've even happened if you weren't trying to show off." She sighed, "As usual."

Rainbow was about to retort but Trixie walked up to the group.

"Good show, Rain-brooms." She said, "I especially like the part where, Sunset Shimmer, in a fit of jealous rage, knocked Rainbow Dash out mid-guitar solo."

Sunset clenched her fists, "It wasn't a fit of jealous rage!" She yelled angerly.

Her friends refused to meet Sunset's eyes.

Trixie smiled, "If you say so." She turned and saw Celestia and Luna waking to the back of the stage, "Oo! Looks like they've already decided who'll be moving on to the finals." She checked her makeup in her compact, "I guess it wasn't too hard a decision."

Just then, the sirens walked in, singing a tune to Celestia and Luna. Sunset watched closely as they straitened and, like in Celestia office, a green haze passed through their eyes.

 _What are they up to?_ Sunset asked herself.

She looked behind her, seeing her friends oblivious to what was happening as they tried to figure out their next move which, of course turned into another argument about Rarity wanting to look on stage.

"Will you guys keep it down?" Rainbow ordered, they're about to announce who will be moving on!"

"Oh, who are we kidding." Fluttershy said, "We know it isn't going to be us."

"The band that will be joining the Dazzling's in tonight's finals," Celestia announced, "is, The Rainbooms."

 _The what?_ Sunset thought in complete confusion.

Turns out she wasn't the only one as the band looked around as if they had just heard a mysterious voice.

"This doesn't make any sense." Fluttershy said as they were prepping the stage for the evening's performance, "We were awful. Doesn't anyone else think it's strange that were the ones to make it to the finals?"

"Very strange." Another voice said.

The group looked in the direction of the voice to see Trixie and her friend standing off to the side with angered looks.

"What are you doing here Trixie?" Rainbow questioned, "I'm pretty sure the losers are supposed to be up there in the cheap seats."

"I, the 'Great and Powerful Trixie', am the most talented girl at Canterlot High." She said dramatically, "I deserve to be in the finals and I will not be denied."

By the time Sunset realized Trixie's goons were at the stage floor lever, it too was too late, they were trapped.


	57. Coming Together

**Author's Note**

 **I actually had to take a deep breath before doing the Author's Note for this one. Tomorrow I will post the final 2 chapters of Scars, One before work and one after work.**

 **Do not worry I will let EVERYONE know when I'm posting the second Volume; blog post, chapter here, and Twitter ( JWolfSilver). So you will know. It will probably come out between December 2018 and March 2019.**

 **Audio book casting is still going on and I will be sending out the Script and releasing a final cast sheet sometime in August.**

 **Well, I guess I will see you all tomorrow.**

* * *

Sunset sat up just as Trixie shut the door. They were trapped.

"I can't see." Rainbow complained.

"Who's there?" Fluttershy said in a shaky voice.

Sunset stood up and took out her phone, shining the dim light until she found what she was looking for. She pulled the little cord, causing a small light on one side of the room to flick on.

Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief as Rainbow tried the door.

"Locked." Rainbow said.

Rarity rolled her eyes, "Of course it is. Trixie wanted us to be trapped down here, she wouldn't leave the door unlocked."

Sunset checked her phone. No signal. And I thought things couldn't get any worse.

"Spike?" Twilight asked aloud, "Where's Spike?"

Sunset looked to see Twilight searching for her dog. She scanned the room as well but there was no sign of him.

"He probably didn't make it down with us." Sunset said, "I'm sure he's fine."

"Do you think he's going to find help?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight sighed and sat on the ground, "I hope so.

Sunset frowned, wanting to believe Spike would find them help, however, it would need to be someone who wasn't under the sirens influence. That also meant he had to avoid being caught first.

Spike ran towards the school, I have to get help!

He slipped into the school as a couple people where leaving.

"Help!" he called down the empty hallway but there was no answer.

He rounded the corner and saw Flash Sentry arguing with his band members.

"Flash!" Spike called as he ran up to them, "Twilight and the others, they're trapped under the stage! We need to go help them!"

Flash scowled and scoffed, "Why would I help them? They took my dream away from me."

"You don't understand." Spike pleaded, "You're under a spell. They just want to help!"

"If they wanted to help, they wouldn't have gotten in my way!" He yelled at Spike then stormed off down the hallway.

Who else, who else… Spike thought, I know!

He dashed down the hallway until he made it to the main office where Celestia and Luna were in their perspective offices.

He scratched at Celestia's door incessantly until finally, the tall woman opened the door.

"Celestia!" Spike greeted with a small brow, "Sunset-"

"What are you doing in here?" She interrupted with an irritated tone.

"Sunset and the others, they-" He tried to no avail.

"I don't care if you are a dragon where you're from but here, you're just a dog." Celestia said, "I was kind enough to let you in the school so long as you remained with Twilight. Where is she?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you!" Spike said frantically, "She-"

Celestia sighed and spoke as if he hadn't said anything, "No matter, I'm about to close the school for the evening. Run along." Then, she shut the door.

Spike huffed as he left the office, "I need to find someone not under their spell! What am I going to do?"

Hours passed and the girls sat in their little prison under the stage as Trixie and her band began to play their set.

Sunset hugged her knees and reflected on the last four months. Now, all of that progress seemed to be flying out the window. If they couldn't get out of there soon, Sunset would never be able to face her family again. She also knew very well the only reason why the Sirens targeted CHS was because of the Equestrian magic that she had brought there. Now, they will get exactly what they came for and she couldn't do anything to stop them.

I never thought I'd wish that I had listened to my demon. Sunset thought

Rainbow rammed the door for the umpteenth time but still it didn't budge.

"Give it up, Rainbow Dash." Applejack said, "You've been tryin' at this for hours. It's not going to open."

"Maybe it doesn't even matter that we're trapped down here." Twilight said with a frown, "I don't think the counter spell would've worked anyway."

Applejack wrapped a comforting arm around Twilight's shoulders, "Of Course it would've worked, Twilight." She then glared at Rainbow, "Assumin' a certain band member didn't try to hog the spotlight the whole time we're tryin' to play it!"

Rainbow put her hands on her hips, "Hey, if you want to tell Twilight that she's getting too caught up trying to be the new leader of this band, you don't have to be all cryptic about it."

Sunset saw the look on Twilight's face and furrowed her brows.

That's when Rarity stepped in, "She was talking about you, Rainbow Dash."

Twilight slipped out of the huddle and sat near the back of the shed.

"Me?" Rainbow exclaimed, surprised by the accusation, "I'm just trying to be sure my band rocks as hard as it needs to."

"Our band!" The other members yelled.

Sunset looked over to Twilight who was talking to herself in the corner. She frowned when she heard Twilight said that she'd failed. It wasn't right, the group is falling apart at the seams.

"It might have been your idea to start a band, but it isn't just your band, Rainbow Dash." Applejack said, getting in the girl's face.

"I'm the one who writes all the songs." Rainbow argued.

Fluttershy came out from hiding behind Rarity, "I write songs!" She said angrily, "You just don't let us play any!"

"I had the most perfect outfits for us to wear." Added Rarity.

Applejack rolled her eyes, "Again with the costumes! No one cares what we're wearin'!"

"I care, Applejack." Rarity yelled angrily, "So sorry that I enjoy trying to make a creative contribution to the band!"

Pinkie, like she does, popped up suddenly in the middle of the group, flailing her arms, "Hey! Anyone remember fun? I'll give you a hint, it's the exact opposite of being in the Rainbooms!"

Sunset paled as they continued to argue, soon, she saw them develop a green hue then, like in the cafeteria, it seemed to stream off of them and go up to the stage.

No, Sunset thought, They're giving them their magic. Sunset shook her head, I can't let this happen.

Sunset heard the Sirens take the stage and begin their song, knowing full well that they were absorbing all the negative energy coming off of her friends.

"Stop!" Sunset yelled, "You have to stop!" The Rainbooms and Twilight turned to face her, "This is what they've been after all along. They're feeding off the magic inside you!"

"How can they be using our magic?" Applejack asked worriedly, "It's the magic of friendship."

Sunset looked at Twilight who was waiting for her to explain.

"Ever since you started this band, you've been letting little things get to you." Sunset sighed and looked at her feet, "I never said anything because I didn't feel like it was my place. Not when I'm still new to this whole friendship thing." Sunset looked up to the group, "I still have a lot to learn but I do know that if you don't work out the smallest problems right at the start, the magic of friendship can be turned into something else."

"I can't believe that all of this tension was happening right under my nose and I didn't even realize it." Twilight said, now standing next to Sunset, "I'm the one who's supposed to have all the answers and all I've done since getting here is let you all down."

Sunset hesitated for a moment then placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile, "I don't think anyone is supposed to have all the answers." She gestured to the other five, "But you can count on your friends to help you find them.

The girls gave Sunset proud smiles.

"I think you already have." Twilight told Sunset, "Come on! We need to get out of here."

Sunset smiled and, all at once, the seven girls rammed the door and pushed, but the door wouldn't budge. They fell backwards into a pile.

Just then, there was a knock and the door opened and they all gave blank looks.

"Spike!" Twilight cheered as he strolled in, picking him up in a hug.

Turns out, Spike found Vinyl Scratch who was not under the Sirens spell.

Sunset chuckled, Never underestimate the power of headphones.

"Come on, y'all." Applejack said, "It's time to prove that we still have the magic of Friendship inside us."

"And there is only one way to do it." Twilight said.

Pinkie Pie gave a hopeful grin, "We're getting the band back together?"

"We're getting our band back together." Rainbow said triumphantly

"What version of the counter spell are we going to play?" Rarity asked.

"I don't think it matters what we play." Twilight said, now thinking a lot more clearly now that she wasn't so stressed out, "As long as we play it together, as friends."

"And I know just the song." Rainbow said.

Everyone gave her a concerned look and Fluttershy frowned.

However, to everyone's surprise, Rainbow wrapped her arm around Fluttershy's shoulders and said, "Fluttershy's written a great one."

The shy girl gave Rainbow the happiest, puppy dog-like smile Sunset had ever seen, causing Rainbow to blush and avoid eye contact with Fluttershy.

Applejack scratched her chin, "We're about to save the world here. Personally, I think we should do it in style. Rarity?"

Before they knew it, Rarity presented some outfits for the band.

Sunset grinned, I knew they could do it.


	58. Battle of the Bands

Author's Note

I don't think any of you realize how awesome you are. A lot of you have stuck with me since January and even more have come into this story on a whim. It's also, because of you that I end up on the featured list with every new chapter (Still not sure how that happens).

I know you fellow writers know how important and meaningful our readers really are. For those non-writers, you keep us going. I love story telling and I will never give it up no matter who reads it but, it always gives me confidence when people do read it. I don't even think I'm a good story teller. Reading my own stuff makes me cringe.

So, welcome to the last day of 'Scars of Our Past'. I will post the final chapter sometime after 5:15 MST (When I get off work.) Thanks guys, see you in a bit!

P.S. Yes, these last 2 chapters are 2 of the longest chapters in Scars.

* * *

"Sunset?" Twilight asked, as they climbed the hill.

"Yeah, Twilight?" She stopped to face her.

"I just wanted to say thank you." She said, "If it weren't for you speaking up, we would never have been able to come together again."

Sunset smiled and shrugged, "That's what friends are for, I guess."

Twilight shook her head, "And you are a great one." She gave Sunset a hug, "Don't worry, we'll get your family back."

Sunset nodded with a smile, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Twilight smiled, "But make it quick, we don't have a lot of time left."

She met the purple girl's eyes, "Do I deserve this?"

The question took Twilight by surprise. The girl always seemed so strong in her eyes and never even considered that she would have conflicted feelings about it.

Twilight just gave Sunset a warm smile, "When I left after the formal, I realized how alone you were, not to mention misunderstood. You've come a long way and I can see that all the darkness you acquired, is gone. You have embraced the magic of friendship and I am _so_ proud of you." She paused, "I know _both_ Celestia's are too."

Sunset smiled as they reached the top of the hill looking down on to the stage.

"How are we going to play over them from up here?" Rainbow asked.

As if on cue, Vinyl drove up to the top of the hill and honked the horn. Then, much to their surprise, it turned into a turntable and speakers.

Vinyl smiled and nodded.

They watched as the Sirens grew Pony ears and moth- like wings, the crowd hypnotized with their singing.

They then started to sing.

 ** _[The Rainbooms]_**

 _Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh_

 _I've got the music in me_

 _Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh_

 ** _[Twilight Sparkle]_**

 _Don't need to hear a crowd_

 _Cheering out my name_

 _I didn't come here seeking_

 _Infamy or fame_

The crowd turned to look at the Rainbooms, confused, but coming out of their hypnotization

They sang the next verse together Then, the girl's started to glow. After another couple pf lines, they began to don their pony ears, wings and tails. Now though, multi-colored streaks appeared in their hair.

Sunset's smile fell to a glare as the Sirens fought back against them.

 ** _[The Dazzlings]_**

 _What we have in store (ah-ah)_

 _All we want and more (ah-ah)_

 _We will break on through (ah-ah)_

 _Now it's time to finish you!_

Along with getting back the attention of the crowd, their eyes glowed a brilliant crimson and big, dragon-like creature came out of their amulets in a flash of light.

The Sirens flew towards them and circled around the hill. There was a certain level of fear they emitted, sending an eerie chill down Sunset's spine. It made her feel helpless.

They dove towards the girls but they just gave determined looks and pinkie pounded on her drums and Vinyl turned up the volume. The wave that emitted seemed to push the sirens back. Then, rarity on her keytar, played a solo and shot diamonds out from the keys, hitting Aria head on. Fluttershy did the same with her tambourine and a wave of pink butterflies caused Sonata to wail out.

Twilight sang a few cords and shot stars towards Adagio. However, Adagio sang in a higher note and held it off, sending a wave down towards Twilight that seemed to push her back. Sunset could even see her trying to stay in place.

The Sirens came together and sent waves of sound toward the band and they all struggled under the power.

Sunset's eyes widened as she recalled her demon's words, _"They will fail."_

Finally, they lost their grip and fell to the ground, the microphone landed just at Sunset's feet.

She picked it up and frowned, _What do I do?_

Twilight stared at Sunset then, a spark of realization passed across her face, "Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight called, "We need _you!"_

Sunset bit her cheek. _"They need you."_ Her demon had said.

She looked into the crowd and managed to spot Celestia and Luna in the Sirens hypnotic trance. That was all the encouragement she needed.

Sunset stepped forward and threw her Jacket to the wind. Vinyl restarted the music and Sunset brought the mic up to her mouth, glaring at the Sirens true forms. **_I_** _can do this._

 ** _[Sunset Shimmer]_**

 _You're never gonna bring me down_

 _You're never gonna break this part of me_

 _My friends are here to bring me 'round_

 _Not singing just for popularity_

Sunset crouched down and, with a smile, helped Twilight, her friend, to her feet and together, they sang.

Sunset could feel the magic she'd lost when she came to this world running through her, no longer trying to suppress it. She never realized until now how warm the feeling was, how she felt that she could do anything but the only thing she wanted to do was have her friends by her side and her family back.

 ** _[Rainbooms]_**

 _We're here to blow this thing apart_

Sunset and Twilight, together, sent a wave of magic into the crowd and Sunset relished in the feeling, taking notice how different this magic was opposed to the dark magic she feared might take over. The Sirens froze in shock and the crowd came out of their trance

Sunset had to stop as a sudden sensation came over her, one she could only really describe as small flame that had died years ago somehow burst to life inside her and she didn't suppress it. She embraced it.

She was lifted into the air and saw all the good she'd done since the night of the formal, how hard she tried to be better. How much she grew to care about the people that she had wronged. As she grew her ears and tail it almost felt as if the universe somehow forgave her and she grew as bright as a small sun.

The girls were soon lifted into the air with her, glowing as a giant rainbow shot into the sky above them. Sunset now adding her own crimson color to it.

A rainbow ball of light formed above them then sprouted wings.

 ** _[All]_**

 _Here to sing our song out loud_

The crowd sang along with smiling faces.

 _Get you dancing with the crowd_

 _As the music of our friendship_

 _Survives, survives, survives!_

A giant Alicorn was born from the rainbow ball of light and the Sirens faces were filled with fear. It reared, then, much like what happened to Sunset at the formal, they were hit with the rainbow ray. With a flash of bright light, the song ended.

After the light cleared, the sirens stood and tried to fight back but the damage was done, their singing voices were nothing short of terrible. The crowd booed them off the stage and Sunset smiled to her friends as they made it down the hill, Twilight handing Sunset back her jacket as she grabbed it from the ground.

Sunset walked on to the stage and picked up a shard of the rubies the Sirens had worn around their necks, "I guess that explains why these were so special to them."

Twilight smiled, "Without those pendants and the magic you brought here from Equestria, they're just three harmless teenage girls.

"Rainbooms rule!" A voice shouted just as Flash Sentry ran on stage and enveloped Twilight in a hug, "That was amazing!"

Sunset and the others giggled as Flash and Twilight turned a deep shade of red.

Trixie then popped up between them, effectively killing the mood, "You may have vanquished the Dazzlings but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the 'Great and Powerful Trixie'!"

They all hacked and coughed as Trixie's smoke bomb dissipated.

They looked around and pinkie gasped, "She's gone!" With one more glance, Pinkie Pointed towards the stands, "Oh wait. There she is."

Trixie fell off the railing and Sunset cringed at the sound of impact.

"Trixie's OK!" she called.

Sunset and the girls smiled.

"You know…" Rainbow said, "Twilight _is_ going back to Equestria soon. The Rainbooms could really use someone to help Fluttershy on back-up vocals."

Sunset raised her brow and grinned, walking over to Trixie's guitar and played an expert guitar riff then smiled sheepishly, "I also play guitar."

They all gave the most astonished looked Sunset had ever seen, and glanced at Rainbow, knowing full well that they were not expecting a former pony to rival Rainbow in guitar.

"We'll see." Rainbow relented and Twilight grinned.

Before she knew it, Sunset was enveloped in a group hug.

When they broke apart, Sunset glanced over to the side of the stage, seeing Chrysalis walk up to the stage.

"Sunset!" Chrysalis said as she walked up to the group, "Are you alright?"

Sunset nodded, "Thanks for coming. I didn't know who else to talk to. My friends were smart enough to keep me away from the house after I kind of blew up at Celestia."

Chrysalis gave her a quick hug, "It's ok, kid. I'm sure everything is fine now. Besides, I just discovered that magic is real."

Everyone chuckled. "Yeah it was weird for us at first too." Rainbow said.

Chrysalis smiled then turned her attention back to the situation at hand, "Where _are_ Celestia and Luna anyway?"

Sunset sighed, "Well, they do need to stop everyone from trampling each other and then they need to get through the crowds."

"Yeah it was a pretty wild song." Chrysalis admitted.

After a few minutes of silence, the group was drawn to footsteps crossing the stage. Celestia and Luna came into view and stood a few paces from Chrysalis and the teenagers. They both had concerned, yet guilty expressions on their faces.

Chrysalis was the first to speak to the two administrators, "You guys OK?"

"No." Celestia and Luna said in sync.

"Not yet anyway." Luna said as they both directed their gazes to Sunset.

The teen was hesitant at first which made the pit in Celestia's stomach even deeper. She knew how hard it was for Sunset to get close to someone and to trust. It only took two days for her and Luna to make the girl feel like she wasn't cared about again and that guilt was something Celestia couldn't live with herself for.

Sunset, cautious at first, took a step past Chrysalis. She stared both women right in the eyes, searching for any sort of lingering negativity. Looking at Chrysalis fidgeting behind her and Luna, darting her eyes between her and Chrys, Sunset rolled her eyes. With a small smile, Sunset locked eyes with Luna and jerked her head towards Chrysalis. Sunset knew Luna cared about her but not quite as much as she loved Chrysalis and she was A-OK with that.

Celestia however, looked just as nervous to approach Sunset as she was. It could only be described as a look from a concerned parent whose kid had run away.

Sunset was the first to step in front of celestia, holding her elbow, "Before you say anything, I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day, I-" she didn't get to finish as Celestia enveloped her in a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Sunset." Celestia said tearfully, "I'm glad you're alright. I feel horrible for doing that to you. Please forgive me."

Sunset too felt tears falling down her face as she wrapped her arms around Celestia as well. She felt like a small child after being away from their mother for a long period of time. Neither of them cared though.

"You were under a spell, it wasn't your fault." Sunset said, unable to keep the tears at bay, "When I yelled at you, I-I was just f-frustrated."

Celestia pulled back and held Sunsets arms, "I don't want you to apologize for _anything_ , Sunset. Not even for sneaking out. At the time, it was probably healthier for you to be away from us." She spoke sternly, "I saw what you did up there and I am _so_ proud of you."

"We both are." Luna said, doing a way better job of holding back the tears than Sunset and Celestia.

Sunset hugged Celestia again, "I missed you."

"We missed you too." Celestia smiled as Luna joined in the hug.

"That's adorable." Chrysalis said just before she was pulled into the hug.

"So," Luna spoke, "What is wrong with Twilight?"

They looked towards the pony-turned-human who had a very, horrified, screwed up expression, eyes trained on Chrysalis.

Sunset looked at Twilight, "Uh, yeah, I'm guessing you aren't a very nice person where she's from."

"I see." Chrysalis smiled.

Sunset grinned, "It's OK, Twilight, she's not whoever the other Chrysalis is."

Twilight shook her head, "Right, right. Sorry. It's nice to meet you."

Chrysalis smiled, "Pleasure."

Celestia gave Sunset another squeeze, "Now, I'm pretty sure everyone is exhausted and I think I need to have a talk with Sunset."

Sunset furrowed her brows in worry.

"Don't worry," Celestia assured her, "It's not anything bad."

The others took that as a cue and said their goodbyes and it was decided that Twilight would be spending the night at Pinkie Pie's.

Soon, everyone had exited the area to go home and attempt to figure out what had happened. However, they heard many of the civilians commenting on the amazing 'special effects', most of the CHS students though, knew exactly what had happened, some even _thanking_ Sunset as they left.

* * *

 **Teo,**

 **Thanks for the support and I don't know what you're apologizing for. I like when people tell me what they want to see and what their favorite parts are. Don't worry though, I'm not abandoning the ship at all. It will definitely be in book 2: Tears of Sunlight.**

 **P.S. Don't be sad! You could always re-read. I do that with my favorite books as well. See you in 6 hours yeah?**


	59. Behind Me

When Sunset and Celestia got home, Luna and Chrysalis where nowhere to be seen despite leaving a little while before they did. Though, Celestia had a feeling they left so Celestia could talk to the teen privately.

Sunset immediately flopped down on the couch with a sigh as Celestia went in the kitchen to make tea.

 _I am so glad I wasn't on the receiving end of that this time._ Sunset thought to herself then smiled, _Life just got infinitely more interesting, but... how was that even possible in the first place. There are only six elements, it just doesn't make sense. Though I suppose with friendship magic, it doesn't work if you leave out a friend._

Celestia came out of the kitchen with two mugs, handing one to Sunset as the girl sat up on the couch.

The silence was overwhelming for a moment before Celestia spoke, "Sunset, I am _so_ sorry for my actions these past two days. I can only imagine how that must have felt."

"Yeah, I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt." Sunset said, "But I also want you to know that as soon as I walked into your office to tell you about the Dazzling's, I knew something wasn't right. It's why, after Rarity came to pick me up that night, I sent a text to Chrysalis, just in case something went wrong."

Celestia nodded, "I am really glad that you thought to contact her. I know we never discussed it, but I know if anything happened with me and Luna, Chrysalis would look after you." She took a deep breath, "Still, I remember the look your face every time you saw me and my sister. I could see that you were falling backwards and it hurts me to know that I didn't care."

The teen smiled sadly, "I know, it's probably what made the whole thing worse for me. You know how well I am at reading people and I saw how cold and empty you looked. It was the first time since living with you that I didn't want to be anywhere near you. I felt as alone as I did in that stupid building, only this time, I didn't really have anywhere to go. I felt like I was outside, looking in on everyone else."

Celestia took in her words. _She'd lost the stability she'd gotten since living here._

"I'm sorry that we made you feel like that." Celestia apologized that seemed to be the umpteenth time that evening, "This whole situation with those girls had made me realize how foolish I have been lately."

Sunset gave her a quizzical look.

"For the last couple months, Chrysalis, Luna and even my parents have been trying to get me to do something that they knew I wanted but was, and still am, afraid of." Celestia said in attempt to explain.

"What are you getting at?" Sunset asked.

Celestia sighed and got up and left the room Sunset could hear the door to the study open then close a minute later before Celestia walked back over to the couch, holding a brown folder.

"Chrysalis made a point of finishing these before she went back home after the holidays." Celestia explained, "The papers in this folder can only happen with your consent and I don't want you to decide because you think it would make anyone else happy besides yourself. I want you to understand that this is your life and you get to decide what you want."

Sunset nodded and Celestia handed her the envelope.

She stared blankly at the page at first as her brain didn't want to focus at the time. When she could however, the title of the first page made her heart stop. It read: 'Adoption Request'.

As she looked through the papers in silence, she saw that Celestia had already filled out the majority of the forms along with a report from Chrysalis. There were a few pages with places that both she and a judge still had to sign.

Celestia had excused herself so Sunset could collect her thoughts so, the younger girl sat on the couch alone.

Sunset wasn't sure how to say what she was thinking. It was all just so overwhelming she found that she was at a loss for words. Tears ran freely down her face as she struggled to keep calm. She knew that if she didn't say anything, Celestia would think that she didn't want her to.

Sunset reached into her pocket for the pen she always kept with her and did the only thing she could think of without completely breaking down

It had been ten minutes since Celestia left Sunset alone with her thoughts and, quite frankly, she was getting concerned.

 _What if I scared her away?_ Celestia thought, _What if I put too much on her? Does she think I expect something from her?_

She was so lost in thought that Celestia didn't notice Sunset enter the room until she gingerly placed the papers next to the older woman.

Celestia tried to get a read on how Sunset was feeling but, much like Fluttershy, her face was shielded by her red and gold hair. So, she glanced at the top page to see Sunset's signature right under her own. Her heart swelled and turned to brushed the hair out of Sunset's face, revealing a small smile and a tear stained face.

The younger of the two turned to Celestia, "Thank you."

With that, Celestia captured Sunset with a hug, "You have no reason to thank me, Sunset. You have been a wonderful addition to the family and I hope you understand that, once a judge signs these, you're stuck with me."

"Crap, I didn't think about that." Sunset joked, flashing a cheeky grin.

They then heard the front door open, announcing Chrys and Luna's arrival. Upon walking in the kitchen, the first thing the other two noticed was Sunset and Celestia's faces, it was evident that they had recently been crying.

"You two, OK?" Luna asked.

They simply nodded.

It was Chrysalis who noticed the familiar stack of papers sitting on the island, "You actually did it? You actually asked and didn't chicken out?" She didn't wait for any sort of response before snatching the papers and glancing through them.

Luna looked at the papers over her friend's shoulder and grinned at her sister and Sunset. "She did!" Luna said excitedly, "Sunset even signed them!"

It wasn't long before Luna tackled Sunset and Celestia in a Pinkie-level hug.

"I'm going to be an aunt!" Luna said, causing everyone else in the room to laugh, "I can't wait to be a bad influence!"

With that final comment...silence.

The next day, Sunset, Twilight and the others all met at Sugarcube Corner to spend some time together before Twilight had to return home.

"Is anyone else sore?" Rainbow asked.

Sunset and Twilight laughed, "What do you expect? We created a giant, powerful alicorn and it shot a rainbow laser." Explained Sunset, "How did you guys feel after the formal?"

"I see your point." Rarity commented.

"Before I forget, Sunset." Twilight said, "I want you to know that you are welcome to visit Equestria any time."

Sunset smiled, "Thanks, Twilight, but for now, I think I'm good here. Besides, I think Celestia would have an aneurism if I went dimension jumping so soon."

"I'm really glad you found a place here, Sunset." Twilight smiled, "I do think that one day you and the Princess should meet. Clear the air."

Sunset nodded, "One day, I promise."

Just then, Sunset's phone buzzed, enticing a genuinely over joyed grin from the girl.

"Sunset?" Rarity drawled, "That's a look I've never seen on you before. Who just messaged you?"

Sunset blushed, "I...well...I, um..."

Rainbow took Sunset's phone and read the message, "It's from Principal Celestia. Why do you need a court date?"

"Oh, you're not in any trouble, are you?" Fluttershy asked.

"Of course, she's not." Applejack said, "Why would she be smiling so big?"

Pinkie pie took the phone from Rainbow and Sunset felt overwhelmingly awkward.

"So," Pinkie said out loud, "Principal Celestia texts you about a court date and you get all smiley." It was then that something seemed to click in her head, "Oh my gosh!" she said loudly, "Oh. My. Gosh!" She said again, this time hopping out of the booth, capturing absolutely everyone in the facility's attention.

"Pinkie, not so loud. Everyone's watching." Sunset said.

Pinkie looked just about to erupt in excitement, "Why would you want to hide the fact that you're getting adopted!"

All eyes went to Sunset, looking for a confirmation.

Sunset ginned, "Yes, I have a court date next week because I am being legally adopted!"

After that there were many, MANY, congratulatory cheers from Sunset's friends and the strangers in the café. Mrs. Cake even went over for a tearful hug. Sunset was just happy Pinkie said what she wanted to. She wasn't ashamed or anything, she just didn't know how to drop the initial bomb without breaking down in tears.

On the walk back to the school: Sunset, Spike and Twilight hung at the back of the group so they could talk as per Sunset's request.

"What's bothering you, Sunset?" Twilight asked.

"Magic is." Sunset said, "More specifically, the events at the battle of the bands. It just doesn't make sense."

"What?" inquired Twilight.

Sunset sighed, "There are only six elements of harmony. I keep thinking that you guys only needed me because it didn't work if one friend was on the sidelines."

"But that makes sense." Twilight said.

"That's what I thought too, but then, why is it that you don't need Spike?" Sunset said, "And, besides that, I had _directly_ contributed to the elements. It makes me wonder if there is something we're missing. I know everything translated differently here. So, is it possible that, in this, that there is a seventh element?"

Twilight pressed her thumb to her mouth in thought, "I'm not sure." She smirked, "I keep forgetting that you are actually from Equestria."

Sunset smiled, "Don't worry, so do I."

The purple girl chucked, "I still feel so out of place in this world. Like I don't actually belong here. How long did it take you to get used to it?"

Sunset thought for a moment, "I actually never felt out of place. It was like slipping on an old sweater. Sure, I was alone, but I never felt like an outcast, not really."

Twilight furrowed her brows, much to Sunset's confusion.

"What is it?" Sunset asked.

"It's just...I have this odd feeling that you belong here. Have you ever tried to find your counterpart?"

Sunset frowned, "A couple years ago, yeah. But there was nothing. The only conclusion I came to hear it that the other me was, possibly..."

Twilight nodded, "Right, sorry."

Finally, the seven girls were gathered around the portal, ready to wish Twilight a farewell.

"You sure you don't want to stay for Sunset's big day next week?" Pinkie asked.

"No, I have to get back to Equestria, I have my royal duties to attend to."

"I sure wish you could stay longer." Applejack said.

Twilight gave a sad smile, "Me too. But now, I can go through the portal whenever I need to." She grinned, "this isn't goodbye. It's just goodbye until next time."

Spike and Twilight said their goodbyes then disappeared through the portal.

"Don't take this the wrong way," Rainbow said, "But I'm _really_ glad you stole her crown."

Sunset looked at Rainbow quizzically, "Why? Do you _like_ having your world threatened by monsters?"

"Well, it _is_ pretty awesome." She said, "But no, it just means we have three awesome friends."

Sunset smiled, "Yeah and, at this very moment, I'm glad I stole it too." She said, "I have seven _amazing_ friends and have a family that cares about me. That's more than I ever had."

That earned Sunset another hug.

Sunset didn't dream of the endless void again, instead, she sat on top of the hill where her and her friends took down the Sirens. She felt a presence walk up to her but it didn't feel like her demon. When she turned around, she saw herself looking out over the stage. The difference was, she had wings and a tail made out of flame and pony hears on her head.

"I told you they needed you." She said.

Sunset smiled, "Thank you but, who are you?"

"I'm you, your subconscious." It said.

"The Elements created you, didn't they?" Sunset questioned again.

"You made me." It stated, "Your past leaves many scars, physical and otherwise. I'm just a Scar that was created at the formal. Like all scars, they make you stronger, smarter. They ensure you don't make the same mistakes."

"So that's why you helped me."

It changed its form to the demon, "I took this form to motivate you to move past the formal and help your friends. It was your fear of this form that gave you courage in that defining moment." It switched back.

"So, what now?" Sunset asked.

"I know as much as you do."

"Will I keep having nightmares or see you in them." Sunset asked.

"I'm a scar of your past, Sunset, you will never entirely be rid of me." She said, "It just depends on how you look at me, just like the scars on your back. Will they make you stronger, or will you let them weigh you down?"

Sunset didn't answer as she smiled and looked up to the sky.

Sunset sat on the roof of the school on Friday afternoon, Sunset sat anxiously outside of the court room with Celestia, Chrysalis and Luna. Today was the day

"Party for Sunset Shimmer and company." A guard called from door.

Sunset, Luna, Celestia and Chrysalis entered the room.

"Hello, I'm Judge Gavel and you must be Sunset Shimmer." The judge said, gesturing to Sunset as she and Celestia sat in front of the desk, the other two behind them.

Sunset nodded nervously, "Yes sir."

"So, Miss Solaris," He addressed Celestia, "You wish to adopt Miss Shimmer."

She nodded, "Yes your honor."

"You know this cannot be undone." He clarified.

"Yes, your honor" She repeated.

"You, Miss Shimmer, would like for Miss Solaris to be your adopted mother?"

"Yes." Sunset said, too nervous to say anything else.

The judge chuckled, "Relax, Miss Shimmer. Despite my title, I am not here to actually judge you or take you away. That was your social worker's job. I'm just here to make it legal."

Sunset breathed as he had Celestia sign the last of the papers and, with a smile, he too signed them.

"Congratulations, to both of you." The judge said, "You are now mother and daughter.

Sunset sat there, frozen in shock as she was handed a certificate while Celestia could barely hold back her tears.

 _Mother and daughter...Celestia is my Mom. I have a mom. Is this really happening?_ Sunset thought.

She finally snapped out of it and smiled and hugged Celestia. It took them both a while to stop crying but when they did, they left the room to see all of Sunset's friends anxiously clustered in the hallway.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sunset Questioned.

"We wanted to be here when you officially had a mom!" Rainbow Dash explained, "We've been hiding around the corner for an hour."

Sunset chuckled and held up her adoption certificate.

 _I totally should have destroyed the school sooner._ Sunset thought with a smile as her friends _and_ family hugged her.

Sunset smiled as they left the courthouse seeing Luna and Chrysalis holding hands with red faces, refusing to look at each other. She and Celestia exchanged glances, giggling at how childish the two were.

They all went home afterwards, and the Solaris/Shimmer household spent the rest of the evening playing board games, Chrys and Celestia laughing at how competitive Sunset and Luna were.

Finally, after months of waiting, drama and magical creatures, it was nice to know that now, they had some semblance of stability.

"Hey," Sunset said suddenly, "I finally finished the song I was writing."

"Really?" Chrysalis said, "then why aren't you singing it to us?"

Sunset laughed and ran upstairs and grabbed her guitar and sat back on the floor and began to play.

She sang about everything, every feeling and every milestone she had had since the formal. It took her a long time to accept it and understand that everyone has scars and every single one is permanent but we can choose to let them weigh us down or push us forward. Making everyone stronger with each step they take. Like a road map, they can lead you down the path that was always meant to be.

 _'Cause my past is not today!_

As the song ended, Sunset felt a clarity she'd never had before. She was ready to push forward without the guilt of the past; improving for herself, not for the shame she burdened herself with.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Well, I'm definitely feeling the sad but excited butterflies in my chest. It's been really fun!**

 **I am hard at work on Tears to the point that I even did some planning on my break! Thank you everyone and I really love you guys! I hope you will follow me into the second book AND the secret project.**

 **You will get a notification chapter for when I hit 20 chapters in Tears, meaning I will also give a post date. That post will remain up until I post the 'Tears of Sunlight'. The announcement for the audio book will get a chapter as well but it will only remain up for a week.**

 **I still want to hear suggestions for scenes or anything you would like to see in Tears. There is a lot of wiggle room even with the Arc by Arc planning I have. I read all of the comments and will continue to do so.**

 **If you want more progress updates, follow me here or on Twitter! JWolfSilver**

 **I, uh...well I guess I won't see you next week. You guys are awesome! See you for Volume 2 'Tears of Sunlight'**


	60. Audio Book

the first chapter is up! Check it out on my youtube channel! Search 'J Wolf Silver' and look for my emblem!


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